PSQCA is mandated to formulate standards and monitor qual 35 Scheme: Shaikh Aftab

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Shaikh Aftab Ahmad on Wednesday said that the Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), an organization under the administrative control Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), is mandated to formulate Standards and monitor the qual 35 Scheme.

Speaking in the Senate during question hour, the minister said that presently, 109 items are included in the mandatory Scheme of PSQCA.

PSQCA, he said has a complete mechanism for monitoring the quality of mandatory items / products through quarterly inspections of the manufacturing units and market surveillance policy for ensuring compliance of mandatory items in accordance with Pakistan Standards and Conformity Assessment (CA) Rules, 2011.

The minister to a question said that presently, PSQCA is not authorized to penalize the manufacturers / units for non-compliance. However, PSQCA as per CA rules can seize the units which do not conform to the standards, he added.

He said that PSQCA also refers cases of manufacturers / units to first class magistrate for penalization. PSQCA Act, 1996 prescribes the applicable penalty / fine in its various sections.

During the period July, 2016 to December, 2017, PSQCA carried out inspection of various units as well as open market surveillance, resultantly 325 units of different items were seized, he said.

The minister said that as per provisions under Pakistan Conformity Assessment Rules, 2011, the units seized showing compliance to the Pakistan Standard Specification were de-seized.

Similarly,non-licensees / unregistered units opting to get PSQCA’s license were also de-seized and grant of license process initiated on their request. Cases against units showing non-compliance were filed in the relevant Courts of Law, he added.