Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority & Array of Activities

The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, is a statutory body under PSQCA Act, 1996 to provide for the standardisation and quality control services in Pakistan. It is successor to erstwhile Pakistan Standards Institute and Central Testing Laboratories.
It is a not-for-profit organisation that co-ordinates standardisation activities and facilitates the development of Pakistan Standards by working with Government, industry and the community. PSQCA has also been established to advise the Government on standardisation policies, programmes and activities to promote industrial efficiency and development, as well as for consumer protection. PSQCA in its capacity of National Standards Body is member to International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), International Electro-technical Commission (IEC), and International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML).
The main function of the Authority is to foster and promote standards and conformity assessment as a means of advancing the national economy, promoting industrial efficiency and development, ensuring the health and safety of the public, protecting the consumers, facilitating domestic and international trade and furthering international co-operation in relation to standards and conformity assessment.
Globalisation, competition, innovation, and sustainability are just some of the many challenges of running a successful business in the new millennium. Standards and conformity assessment play a vital role in helping industry to meet rapidly evolving business requirements. PSQCA has been established with this very objective to enable industry to make the most of voluntary standardisation and integrate with global trading system.
However, the Parliament has entrusted PSQCA with array of functions; accordingly it has managed its activities as follows, namely:
a) Standards Development
b) Product Conformity Assessment
c) Laboratory Testing Services
d) International Activities
e) Consumer Liaison
f) Training Services
h) WTO Enquiry Point
Standards
Development Pakistan Standards are consensus documents developed by Technical Committees (TCs) and approved by the National Standard Committees in accordance with PSQCA Act and Pakistan Standards Rules, 2008. Pakistan Standards (PS) specifies the optimum requirements of quality and safety for voluntary use by the public. However, the law empowers Federal Government to notify any national standard to be complied with mandatorily.
The standards are developed in accordance with best international practices; wherein ISO/IEC Guide 59 - Code of good practice for standardisation and WTO/TBT Agreement act as guiding principles. The Pakistan Standards are dynamic documents and are revised periodically to harmonise with and internalise latest technological developments in relevant field.
Briefly, the categories of Pakistan Standards (PS) prescribe: Specification, Testing methods, Codes of good practice / recommendations, Terminology / glossaries / vocabulary / symbols / nomenclature, and Classification / grading. So for 6284 Pakistan Standards have been developed locally while more than 20000 ISO/IEC standards have been adopted.
Conformity
Assessment
(Quality Control) This is one of the prime functions of the Authority and very basic reason of its existence. As stated above, the mandatory standards notified by the Government of Pakistan are enforced through elaborate system of licensing, inspection, sampling, testing, and market surveillance. The entire scheme relies upon the international system of Conformity assessment; and the Authority for the purpose has number of officers trained in relevant areas of science to carryout quality control function. Till this publication goes to press, there are 78 items under mandatory regime whether locally produced or imported. All the mandatory items are to be marked with Authority's Mark as mark of conformance with respective national standards.
Laboratory Services
PSQCA laboratories (ie Quality Control Centre and Technical Service Center) are basically non commercial laboratories and have been set up for independent testing of samples which are drawn both from factory and market under PSQCA product certification scheme. During the process of testing, confidentiality of samples is maintained right from their receipt in sample section to testing and issuance of test reports.
At present, PSQCA's laboratories are providing testing facilities in the field of chemical, mechanical, microbiology, civil engineering, metallurgical and electrical disciplines. Quality Assurance is an important activity in all PSQCA's laboratories to ensure the credibility of test results with their Quality Management System in line with the requirements of PS/ISO/IEC 17025: 2005.
Expanding international trade Harmonizing conformity assessment procedures around the world also has far-reaching benefits for international trade in general. PSQCA is actively engaged in developing reciprocal recognition arrangements between National Standards Bodies all over the world. Agreements among nations or regions on the mutual acceptability of requirements, assessment methods, inspection or test results, minimise if not eliminate completely, the technical barriers to trade. PSQCA's initiatives can help made-in-Pakistani goods and services enter foreign markets with little or no hindrance.
PSQCA is currently working with its partners and has signed bilateral (with Saudi Arabian Standards Organisation, American National Standards Institute, ASTM International) and multilateral Recognition Arrangement with regional groups in SAARC and ECO. Pakistani industry will benefit from improved terms of trade through application of standards and conformity assessment practices which are relevant to them. With an estimated overall impact of 80 per cent of world trade tied to standards and related conformity assessment activities, PSQCA's promotion of the relationship between standardisation and trade is vital to Pakistan's competitiveness.
Consumer Liaison Every person in the society whether an individual or an industry is consumer of at least something. Being conscious of importance to take them along in activities, the Authority have two fully functional offices in Karachi and Rawalpindi to maintain close liaison with the consumers and consumer associations to safeguard their interest in standards formulation and other spheres of their concern. World Consumer Rights Day was celebrated by PSQCA in March 2010. On the occasion seminars were organised at Islamabad and Karachi simultaneously. The programs were attended by consumers, delegates from consumer organisations, educational institutions and Government officials and successfully achieved objectives of raising awareness of the masses.
Training Services
The law entrusts Authority for preparation, implementation, co-ordination or arranging of the training programmers on standardisation, quality control testing and weights and measures, for technical staff of the Authority, other organisations and trainees from foreign countries. However, for some time due to several circumstances this activity has remained dormant; nevertheless in-house trainings for officers have been resumed and in recent weeks three trainings in Conformity Assessment and Standards Development in accordance with ISO Guides have been successfully conducted. More such trainings for officers as well as for outsiders are in advanced stages of planning.
By virtue of being member to ISO, the Authority is invited to send its officials to participate international activities conducted by it throughout the year and world-wide. This enables its functionaries to add value to their expertise.
WTO National Enquiry Point As designated WTO/TBT Enquiry Point, PSQCA serves as the nodal point of contact in Pakistan for WTO member countries to disseminate and provide information on standardisation-related market entry requirements. It also serves as one window to other member countries of WTO as data bank on standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment requirements. The Enquiry Point being obligation under transparency provisions of the TBT Agreement has to be in position to answer all reasonable queries in soonest possible time frame; therefore has very important function to perform. In this respect it has to be updated about any requirements pertaining to market entry of goods and maintain close coordination with all other government agencies in this regard.
PSQCA aligned with National Needs Pakistan in recent years has been experiencing acute shortage of energy deficit. The Government of Pakistan has started several initiatives of energy conservation in which the Authority is contributing significantly through enforcing energy efficiency standards on energy savers, bulbs, tube lights and gas appliances.
New Initiatives Recently, the Authority under new administration at local level and full support of the Government through Ministry of Science & Technology has taken very proactive stance by visiting several chain stores like makro, metro, CSD, utility stores and various bachat bazzars for on the spot checking through its mobile testing laboratory. This has produced very good results as enforcement regime has improved tremendously besides getting very positive feedback from general public.
Besides, sustained and aggressive media campaign has also been successfully executed for quite some time. This has complemented other surveillance exercise of the Authority and improved in its standing and has worked as magic wand to boost morale of its functionaries.
In last couple of months the Authority have made frog leaps and have launched new mark to be used as mark on products conforming national standards. Further, a long outstanding issue of rationalising marking fee has been resolved in consultation with all the stake holders and the fee for food and voluntary items have been halved to 0.05% ex-factory price.
The development work on PSQCA complex is progressing fast and laboratories currently in old CTL building in Pakistan Secretariat will be housed over there in matter of few weeks.
World Standards Day This year the PSQCA is not celebrating this day as annual ritual rather than with new spirit of promoting quality consciousness among all stakeholders through active participation in various activities of the day. Special activities for print and electronic media have been planned. A central seminar is being held in Karachi by very generous support of the FPCCI in their very own premises. The federal Minister and the Secretary Science & Technology are schedules to attend.
QUALITY POLICY
Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) have been making sustained efforts for implementing quality standards that are emphasised on World Standards Day. Consumers are the engine of economic activity in any county and deserve to be treated with respect and be protected by strong and effective consumers protection laws as in the developed countries.
Millions of people around the world living with disabilities face difficulty in trying to access products, services, devices, environments and facilities. The importance of accessibility issue is signified by the fact that, according to the United Nations, the number of persons with disabilities - either congenital, acquired or as a result of old age - is estimated to be around 650 million world-wide. In other words, people living with some disability account for 10% of the world's total population. In fact they are the world's largest minority. What is more alarming is that the figure in increasing with growth in population. In Pakistan, as disability-free people grow older, failing sight and hearing, and reduced mobility and strength would put them face to face with accessibility issues.
International standards give manufacturers and services providers necessary technical support to design products that are accessible to all. The PSQCA, as a National Standards Body, has to provide the lead, take initiatives and harmonise national standards with international standards to address the accessibility issue, caused either by any physical impairment or old age. This approach will add more productive citizens to the society. The Ministry of Science and Technology, as part of Federal Government, commits itself to provide all support to the PSQCA for achieving this noble objective in a befitting manner.
Compulsory Items to meet Pakistan Standards

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S No Subject                                                  PSS No

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1   AC Watt hour meters                                        60521

2   Asbestos Cement Building and Sanitary Pipes                  429

3   Asbestos Cement Corrugated for roofing & cladding           1653

4   Asbestos Cement pipe fitting for

    building and sanitary purpos                                2035

5   Asbestos Cement pressure pipes                               428

6   Asbestos Flat Sheets                                         579

7   Apple Juice                                      PS: 1738 - 2000

8   Balanced Feed Mixture for Live Stock                         234

9   Ballast for Tubular Fluorescent Lamp -

    Performance Requirements                                     497

10  Banaspati                                                    221

11  Biscuits (Excluding Wafer Biscuits)                          383

12  Butter                                           PS: 1831 - 1997

13  Carbonated Beverages                                        1654

14  Bottled Drinking Water                                      4639

15  Cold Worked Steel Deformed Bars for the Reinforcement

    of Concrete                                                 1612

16  Cooking Oil (Blended)                                       2858

17  Cotton Seed Oil Cake Expeller Type                            96

18  Chilly Powder                                    PS: 1742 - 1997

19  Concentrated Fruit Juice                          PS: 527 - 1992

20  Condensed Milk                                    PS: 364 - 1991

21  Curry Powder                                     PS: 1741 - 1997

22  Deformed & Plain Billet Steel Bars                          1879

23  Discharge Lamps/Compact Flourescent Lamps

    (H.S.Code 8539,3200,8539,3910 & 8539, 3990)      PS/IEC :60968 &

                                                        PS/IEC:60969

24  Edible Sesame Seed Oil                                        98

25  Food for Infants and Children                    PS: 1688 - 1985

26  Flavoured Milk                                   PS: 3189 - 1992

27  Fruit Squash                                      PS: 506 - 1997

28  Gas Appliances-General Requirements                         4860

29  Gas Applied fired Room Heater-Vented                        4859

30  Gas Cooking Range                                           4857

31  Gas Cooking Stoves                                          1560

32  Gas Fired Radiant Room Heaters un-vented &

    semi-vented type                                            3656

33  Gas Water Heaters                                           4858

34  Honey                                            PS: 1934 - 2007

35  Iodized Salt                                                1669

36  Jams ( Fruit preserve ) & Jellies                PS: 2096 - 1989

37  Lead Acid Batteries (for Motorcycles)                       4082

38  Lead Acid Starter Batteries (for motorcar)                   206

39  Margarine                                                   1653

40  Mayonnaise                                       PS: 3947 - 1997

41  Marmalade                                         PS: 514 - 1985

42  Milk Powder (whole and Skim)                      PS: 363 - 1991

43  Methods for measuring the performance of electric kettles,

    jugs for house holds and similar purposes                    253

44  Methods for measuring the performance of Electric Toasters

    for house hold and similar purposes                          661

45  Mild Steel Bars                                              231

46  Mild Steel Oil Pressure Utility Stoves                       797

47  Natural Mineral Water                                       2102

48  Non-Pressure Oil Stoves                                      928

49  Oil Pressure Stoves Brass Type                               682

50  Orange Juice                                     PS: 1738 - 2000

51  Palm oil (Edible grade for cooking purposes)                1561

52  Pickets                                           PS: 520 - 1999

53  Polypropylene Woven Sacks for Packing (Sugar)               3128

54  Portland Blast Furnace Cement not Exceeding 65%

    blast furnace slag                                          1631

55  Portland Cement                                              232

56  Poultry Feeds                                                233

57  PVC Insulated Cables (Non Armoured) for

    Electric Power & Lighting                                    714

58  PVC Pressure Pipes for Cold Potable Water                   3051

59  Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engine                    1806

60  Refined Coconut Oil                                           99

61  Refined Cotton Seed Oil                                       21

62  Refined Maize Corn Oil                                      1562

63  Refined Mustard Oil                                           25

64  Refined Soya bean Oil                                       1563

65  Refined Sunflower Oil                                       1564

66  Refine Sugar & White Sugar                       PS: 1822 - 2007

67  Safety Razor Blades (double edge)                            219

68  Single & Twin Blade Plastic bounded Disposable Razors/p>    2002

69  Sulphate Resisting Portland Cement                           612

70  Synthetic Vinegar                                PS: 3602 - 1994

71  Tea Black                                         PS: 493 - 2000

72  Three Wheeler Auto Vehicles                                 4708

73  Tubular Fluorescent Lamp                                     292

74  Tungsten Flaments Lamps for General Services17

75  Induction Motors                                   PS/IEC :60034

                                                        Part I to IV

76  Two Wheeler Auto Vehicles                                   4707

77  Turmeric(Ground & Powdered)                      PS: 1820 - 2000

78  Wafers Biscuits                                              614

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