PSQCA told to launch campaign against water bottling units

The Federal Secretary of Science and Technology, Irfan Nadeem, has directed the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) to immediately launch a campaign against water bottling units in Karachi to contain the complaints of consumers, as without quality observance the bottled water is being sold.
He was speaking at a seminar on 'National Standardisation Needs of Pakistan', organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology, with co-ordination of PSQCA and Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) at the Federation House here on Saturday.
Irfan said that standards provide quality benchmarks and the international standards are universal language for exchange of goods and services world-wide. The changes required in conformity assessment of products/services in line with the World Trade Organisation (WTO) agreements have highlighted the need for organisations to have credible, reliable and trustworthy conformity assessment systems, to enable acceptance of products/services both nationally and across borders. The conformity assessments are also crucial in the diagnosis of health, safety and environmental issues, the promotion of social economic development and the alleviation of unfair practices in the society.
Irfan said that access to technology is critical. "Our industries need to have affordable and efficient technologies so as to have sustainable development", he said, adding that essential ingredients of success are technology and standardisation, coupled with a highly skilled workforce acquired through training. "We have invested well in human resources and the technology question needs to be addressed thoroughly through different ways such as technology adoption and transfer alongside other critical issues. It is a time we have to consider using fully our existing public institutions for research, technology development and standardisation."
He said that reforms are a powerful tool in shaping the destiny of our industrial development. "For example, we need to re-look at the export strategy and the whole question of its linkage to domestic industrial growth. In textile sector we have seen record growth in value addition with the entry of the private sector that brought in competition, growth and diversification through standardisation", he added.
He said textile sector is now exporting all over the world in conformance with international standards. In this sector accredited testing and certification facilities are available that has enabled smooth export in textile sector. He pointed out that changes have been effected in Ministry of Science & Technology giving new look to the Ministry in meeting its mandate of developing S & T policies and creating enabling environment to support industrial standardisation.
He said there is a need to constitute a focal points/small expert group from amongst the FPCCI which can be entrusted with the responsibility for identifying new standardisation projects for industry. The Ministry of Science & Technology is ready to contribute in the new standardisation projects. However, there is a need to establish an institutionalised information system among the chambers for acquisition and dissemination of standards related information through PSQCA's WTO enquiry point. He reiterated that Ministry of Science and Technology will provide all the help to the industry through its MSTQ organisations viz PSQCA, PNAC, NPSL and PCSIR.
Muhammad Junaid Qureshi, Director General, PSQCA in his speech briefed the participants about the aims and objectives of the seminar. He said PSQCA is working to create awareness about the importance of standards. Engineer M A Jabbar, Chairman of WTO and R&D Cell of FPCCI, said that economy of Pakistan faces challenges of technical barriers to trade under the WTO obligatory framework. He said PSQCA has been legislated to protect the interest of consumers and help in growth of products through implementation of standards.
He said PSQCA is loaded with legislations burden but has not been able to meet the challenges of implementation of standards which have been made mandatory for compliance by domestic industry engage in local sales and participating in exports. He said that the large scale manufacturing (LSM) which includes sugar, cement, food and beverages with a share of more than 20 percent in the LSM has not been brought under the coverage of compliance of the standards regulatory order notifying 78 products for compulsory quality certification.
On the law of PSQCA, he said a reasonable amendment should be made for inducing the implementation and compliance of standards. On strengthening of the PSQCA, he said reasonable funds for generating state of the art infrastructure be allocated in the budget. Earlier, Dr Shahzad Afzal, Deputy Director General, Standards Development Centre (SDC) gave a detailed presentation over 'The Standardisation Needs of Pakistan'.