Global compatibility of export items: Planning Commission proposes to set up advisory body

The Planning Commission has proposed to set up an Advisory Committee on standards and quality to attain global compatibility in the field of exportable merchandise and safety to consumers.
Dr Shaukat Hameed Khan, Member, Planning Commission has asked Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) to suggest names for the proposed committee on standards and quality. It will interact with the Commission to work out the viable strategy to help promote and develop the much-needed environment for quality production through standardisation.
He has further advised PSQCA to take an offensive and draw-up a proactive strategy to make the name of 'Made in Pakistan' products as acceptable quality merchandise in line with the international standards of manufacturing and processing.
In a meeting with Abdul Ghaffar Soomro, Director General, PSQCA on the sidelines of the two-day "2007 US-Pak: Standards & Conformity Assessment Workshop," Dr Khan emphasised that the share of 'Made in Pakistan' products should increase if we could assure quality products. Quality products and in addition to safety of consumers and protection of environment is a state responsibility everywhere, he said.
The workshop was organised by PSQCA in collaboration with the National Institute of Standards and Technology, US in Lahore on May 24 and 25 in view of the forthcoming collaboration with NIST in which Dr Hratch Semerjian, Chief Scientist, NIST participated through video-conference.
According to details of the meeting available here on Thursday, he also enumerated the multiple effects of standardisation such as increase in share of domestic products in local market against competing imports.
Dr Khan assured the Director General, PSQCA that Planning Commission was willing to extend all help as policy objective to make strategies for the growth in exports. He complimented the efforts of PSQCA on ensuring standardisation not only for exports but also asking for regulation of the products at import stage to similar strategy keeping in view the WTO/TBT (Technical Barriers to Trade) requirements.
"We have to protect our civil society and consumers by taking measures so that they use products not injurious to their health irrespective of the origin of the product from overseas or from within the country", he said.
He further remarked that the Planning Commission had always given due importance to the macro management issues, as long-term objectives have to be knowledge-based in order to achieve higher growth of economy in the country.
During the workshop Dr Khan showed by power-point presentation, items having major share in the world trade, which are essentially engineering products being used and sold in the world market on the basis of being quality products. He was confident that Pakistan could increase its share in exports of engineering products provided we are quality-compliant and are manufacturing as per international standards which will ultimately help in increasing the share in the global markets.