Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority

Introduction: Standardisation is instrumental in the creation of order in our technical world. Actually in broad sense we may say, it is an integral part of the existing economic, social and legal structure.
Therefore 'Standards play a very important and crucial role in modern technology as well as in agriculture sector of the country, provide acceptable norms and guidelines for determining the quality and serviceability of raw materials, finished product and process.
Being realised the importance and development of Metrology, Standards, Testing and Quality (MSTQ) infrastructure that provides an essential building block for industrial development in the country, the Government of Pakistan has decided to establish an Authority namely; Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) by merging former three organisations, these are Pakistan Standards Institution (PSI), Central Testing Laboratories (CTL) and Metal Industry Research Development Centre (MIRDC) by enactment through Act No VI of 1996, now these organisations are PSQCA's integral parts and denoted as component centers and in a position to provide one-window services for standardisation and quality control more efficiently PSQCA is the National Standard Body in Pakistan came into functioning since December 1, 2000, working with 81 scientists/engineers and 254 supporting staff as self finance organisation, being given the task not only formulation of Pakistan Standards, it is also responsible for promulgation thereof.
PSQCA is also a national member body of International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), International Electro-technical Commission (IEC), and International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML).
The work of PSQCA is a technical - scientific service that is of benefit to the whole of the national economy. Its scope is defined as the systematic standardisation of tangible and intangible objects by the mutual efforts of all interested parties for the benefit of the entire community. Further its work in Metrology, Standards, Testing, Quality Assurance and Export guidance is geared to enable the Pakistani Industrialist/Agriculturist to meet the quality needs of buyers at home and at abroad to meet the challenges of WTO regime.
PSQCA Components: Standards Development Centre (SDC): SDC, formerly "Pakistan Standards Institution - PSI" was working being the National Standards Body of Pakistan under the administrative control of Ministry of Industries since 1951 to May 1995 and transferred to Ministry of Science & Technology up to the establishment of the Authority December 2000. SDC Head Office is located at Karachi.
Quality Control Centre (QCC): QCC (formerly "Central Testing Laboratories - CTL") was established in 1951 for assessment of quality and grade of industrial raw materials and finished products. The Head Office and main laboratories of this Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority, Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of Pakistan.
Technical Services Centre (TSC): TSC (formerly "Metal Industry Research Development Centre - MIRDC") was established in Lahore in 1975 to assist the metal and metallurgical industries of Pakistan by solving their technical problems, increasing and improving productivity through transfer of technology, decreasing the wastes and to save foreign exchange through indigenous development of various components and alloys. TSC is working with a total staff of 72 personnel including 18 scientists/engineers).
The Centre services are of diverse nature and extend from short-term metallurgical investigations to long-term projects. The facilities and the expertise available from a complete set up ready for any quality control assignment.
The Centre also offers an outstanding array of skills with the professional expertise of highest qualified multi-disciplined team of engineers to carry out the activities: product development, standardisation services, quality control and quality assurance, failure investigation, inspection services, solutions to shop floor problems through practical demonstrations, non-destructive, physical and chemical testing, technical audit and certification, short and long term training courses, seminars, workshops etc.
The services of the centre are widely utilised by automotive, agricultural, iron and steel foundries, rolling mills, land forging units, textile, defence, power generation, gas pipeline, chemical, and cement and fertiliser industries. QCC (formerly "Central Testing Laboratories - CTL") was established in 1951 for assessment of quality and grade of industrial raw materials and finished products.
Powers and Functions of the Authority: The powers and functions of the Authority have been laid down in chapter III, section 8 of PSQCA Act VI 1996 are given as under:
-- Designing, measuring and testing, instruments and test procedures;
-- Inspection and testing of products and services for their quality, specifications and characteristics, during use and for import and export purposes;
-- To review of matters this may be necessary for quality improvement of products or processes;
-- 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 trainers from foreign countries;
-- Setting up, assisting in, establishing and authorising various inspection and testing centers and agencies at important industrial sites and towns;
-- Providing for the quality labelling standards which shall specify ingredients, performance, specification, usage, methods and other relevant quality control matters;
-- Grading the products when requested by manufacturers, or whenever necessary for the purpose of quality improvement;
-- Setting up the mode of inspection and the manner in which samples may be obtained;
-- Examination of manufacturing plants for the designated products or processes for approval of marks of the Authority.
-- To stop manufacture, storage and sale of such products which do not conform to the Pakistan or any other country's standards recognised by the Authority.
-- Inspection and taking of samples of any material or product for examination as to whether any article or process in relation to which any of Authority mark has been used conform to the Pakistan Standard or a standard of any other country recognised by the Authority or whether any of the Authority mark has been improperly used in relation to any article or process with or without license or certificate.
-- Specification of the manner and condition subject to which a license or certificate to use any of the Authority marks may be granted or renewed, suspended, cancelled or withdrawn;
-- Granting, renewal, suspension, cancelled or withdrawal of a license or certificate for the use of any of the Authority marks;
-- Levying of fees, for marking, grant or renewal of any license or certificate in relation to use of any of the Authority marks;
-- Levying of fees, for checking, inspection and testing of products for imports, exports or local consumption;
-- Framing and publishing, amending, revising or withdrawal of the Pakistan Standards in relation to any article, product process;
-- Determination of Pakistan Standards for the measurement of length, weight, volume, energy and materials;
-- Collection, circulation of statistics and other information relating to standardisation, quality control, metrology, applied research;
-- Establishment, maintenance of libraries, museum, laboratories and acceleration of other laboratories for the purpose of furthering the practices of standardisation, metrology and quality control;
-- Communication with pubic and Governmental agencies on national and international levels, on matters connected with standardisation and other activities of the Authority through circulars, books, public media or through seminars, symposia, workshops and printing and publishing and circulars and books;
-- Securing recognition of the Pakistan Standards and confidence in Pakistani products abroad;
-- Registration of inspection agencies;
-- Co-ordination and co-operation with other national, regional and international organisations, associations, societies, institutions or councils, whether incorporate or not, whose objects are wholly or in part similar to those of the Authority; and;
-- Constitution of committees of carrying out the schemes and programmes of the Authority.
PSQCA OBJECTIVES: Setting up of standards on quality and dimensions, preparation and promotion of general adoption of Pakistan Standard Specifications, Operation of Certification Marks system and co-ordination of the efforts of manufactures and consumers for the improvement of standardizations and to provide assistance thus in the manufacture of quality products.
Testing and assessment of industrial raw materials and finished products to establish their quality, grade and composition with reference to national or international standard specifications of quality in various fields like chemical products and formulations, textiles, food items, building materials, mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic goods and appliances etc, and provision of consultancy services to industrial units in regard to the improvement of quality of their products.
Work on standardisation, improvement of analytical methods, procedures and consultancy/research in the field of metallurgy. Inspection and testing of products and services for their quality specifications and characteristics during use and imports and exports purposes.
Grant, renewal, suspension, cancellation or withdraw of a license or certificate in relation to use of any of the Authority Marks. Encouragement and implementation of Quality and Environmental Management Systems that is ISO: 9001 and ISO: 14000 and assistance to local industries to obtain certifications for these systems.
Co-ordination and co-operation with other national, regional land international organisations, association, association, societies, institution or councils, whether incorporate or not, whose objectives are wholly or in part similar to those of the Authority.
PSQCA Activities: Establishment of National Standards; Enforcement of National Standards under compulsory Certification Marks Scheme; Registration of inspection agencies, Testing and assessment of industrial raw materials and finished products to establish their quality, grade and composition with reference to national or diverse international specifications of quality in the fields like textile, chemical and mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic goods and appliances, building materials etc; Assistance to metal working industry in product improvement, technological advancement and increased productivity; Promotion of development of metallurgical techniques and skills in the country through transfer of technology and expertise in the metallurgical fields; Research and development (R&D) work on standardisation, analytical/testing techniques in chemical and other field and on metallurgical techniques; Dissemination of technical information about standardisation, quality control and metallurgical fields through seminars, workshops, symposia, press, print and electronic media to increase awareness about quality with the aim to create a quality conscious culture in the country.
ADOPTION OF ISO STANDARDS: Most of Pakistan Standards stand already harmonised with International Standard as required under WTO / TBT agreements. In this regard SDC has adopted about 21,000 International Standards as Pakistan Standards and these adoption of ISO and IEC Standards as Pakistan Standards will have far reaching effect on the global partnership. Moreover, the adoption of ISO /IEC Standards as Pakistan Standard by local industry is voluntary, but mandatory in cases where Government of Pakistan issues quality control directives, from time to time.
Till date 58 items like Edible Oil, Banaspati, Margarine, Biscuits, Natural Mineral Water, Bottled Drinking Water, Beverages in Food and other major items like Cements, Electric Bulbs, Tube Lights and their Ballasts, Safety Razor Blades, PVC Pipes and Two/Three Wheeler Auto Vehicles are included in the mandated Compulsory Certification Marks Scheme of PSQCA implying, thus that manufacture, keeping in stock and putting on sale is prohibited, unless having the authority to use PS Mark on their products.
COMPLIANCE WITH PAKISTAN STANDARDS: The Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority are mandated under the PSQCA Act, 1996 (Act VI of 1996) to run Compulsory/Voluntary Certification Marks scheme in the country. Presently 58 items fall under compulsory Certification Marks through issuance of SRO's issued time to time by the Government of Pakistan, in the mandated list few more items have also been included out of 22 items those have already been approved by the Board of Directors of PSQCA for inclusion in the mandated list. Further Pakistan Trade Policy (2005-2006) has already included many items of consumer's interest for import, subject to the conformance with the relevant Pakistan Standards eg 02 & 03 wheeler auto-vehicles, cement etc.
SYSTEM CERTIFICATION CENTRE (SCC): Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), being responsible to develop and strengthen the quality infrastructure of Pakistan, has established System Certification Centre (SCC), a National Certification Body of Pakistan.
Primarily SCC aims to provide management system auditing service of international level to local SMEs in particular and all other business in general, in the areas of Quality Management System (QMS, ISO 9001:2000), Environmental Management System (EMS, ISO 14001:2004), Occupational Health & Safety (OHSAS 18001), Food Safety Management System (FSMS, ISO 22000), Social Accountability (SA 8000) etc SCC is providing training services to manpower serving local business.
NATIONAL ENQUIRY POINT/INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:
INTRODUCTION OF NEP/IT: NEP: Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority is the National Enquiry Point for WTO - Technical Barriers to Trade Agreements in Pakistan. NEP handles information on standards, technical regulations, conformity assessment procedures and related matters. NEP response to enquires received telephonically, personally, through letters, fax, E-mails etc both from within outside countries.
IT: Information Technology (IT) section has been established at (PSQCA) and is functioning from April 2008; IT basis on how information is gathered, archived, used and shared in both business and government around the world. Throughout much of the world, the workplace has been transformed from one based on paper documents, fraught with errors and delays, to one based on information technology (IT). IT section have acquired workstations at (PSQCA) for basic office functions such as word processing and spread sheet analyses, local area networks have been installed, servers along with firewall device is installed to provide data backup and security and Support services such as email and file sharing.
Objective & Functions of IT/NEP: NEP/IT Department has been established in PSQCA mainly for the following objects/functions: Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority is the National Enquiry point for WTO.
NEP: Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) is the National Enquiry Point for the operation of Enquires Concerning the WTO Agreement on Technical Barrier to Trade. The WTO/TBT Enquiry Point operated by the PSQCA reply to Other Members on Import requirements in the country.
Interested parties on other WTO Member countries and requirements.Domestic queries originating from within the country. NEP responds to enquires received telephonically, through letters, fax, e-mail, etc both from within and outside country.