PAKISTAN STANDARDS AND QUALITY CONTROL AUTHORITY: The Sole National Standards Body of Pakistan

The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) was established under Act IV of 1996 by the Parliament as the sole National Standards Body of Pakistan. PSQCA started its operations since 1st December, 2000, as self-finance organisation under the administrative control of Ministry of Science & Technology (MoST). The PSQCA Act VI of 1996 and the functions performed by PSQCA fall within the ambit of Article: 143 and 70(4) Federal Legislative List entry No 03, 27,32,39,54 and 59 of Part I and entry No 6, 12 and 15 0f Part II, of the Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan,1973. Further to the above, PSQCA is authorized to perform as per International practices and Government of Pakistan's agreement with WTO & ISO. The PSQCA has adopted 15,386 ISO/IEC Standards and developed 6094 Pakistan Standards. Additionally it has also adopted different standards from OIML and ASTM. Food Standards are aligned with Codex Alimentarius Commission and traceable with WHO applicable to Food items and related products. The Government of Pakistan has declared 108 products as mandatory out of which 38 are food products.
The PSQCA, being the National Standard Body (NSB) is a member of:
-- International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO),
-- International Electro-technical Commission (IEC), and
-- International Organisation of Legal Metrology (OIML).
-- and MoU Partner of ASTM International.
The PSQCA has full also membership of following Regional Standards Bodies:
-- Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC)
-- South Asian Regional Standards Organisation (SARSO)
-- Regional Institute of Standardisation, Conformity Assessment, Accreditation, and Metrology
(RISCAM) (Ratification in process)
-- PSQCA is Designated as WTO -TBT Agreement National Enquiry Point (NEP) -for implementation of Technical Regulations, Standards & Conformity Assessment Procedures vide Article No 1.6 and Article No 10 of TBT Agreement.
The Authority provides advice to the Government on standardisation policies, programs and activities to promote industrial efficiency and development, as well as for consumers protection. Pakistan Standards set criteria, rules and parameters against which products, services and process are measured or compared. Although "Voluntary Standards" are often developed providing guidelines towards achievement of quality parameters , many standards are referenced in regulation making adherence to them mandatory. Conformity Assessment (ie, Testing, Calibration, Inspection, System Certification and Product Certification) is an activity related to the verification of conformance to the standard and PSQCA is assigned with this job in Pakistan.
The Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority promotes the use of standards, conformity assessment and standardisation nationally and internationally. It facilitates the development and use of such recognized standards and conformity assessment services to enhance Pakistan's competitiveness and social well-being. PSQCA carries out a variety of functions intended to ensure the effective and co-ordinated operation of standardisation in Pakistan.
Setting Up Objectives
-- Setting up of standards on quality and dimensions, preparation & promotion of general adoption of Pakistan Standards Specifications, operation of Certification Marks Scheme & Coordination of the efforts of manufacturers and consumers for the improvement of Standardisation and provide assistance in the manufacture of quality products.
-- Testing and assessment of industrial raw materials & finished products to established their quality, grade and composition conforming to national & international standards specifications in various fields like chemical products and formulations, textile, food items, building materials, mechanical engineering, electrical and electronic goods and appliance etc. Industrial units so as to achieve improvement of quality of their products.
-- Work on standardisation improvement of analytical methods, procedures and consultancy in the field of metallurgy. Inspection & testing of products and services for their specifications and characteristics during use & import and export purpose.
-- Grant, renewal, suspension, cancellation or with-draw of a license or certification in relation to use of any of the Authority Marks.
-- Coordination and Cooperation with other national, regional and international organisations, association, societies, institution or councils, whether incorporate or not, whose objectives are wholly or in part similar to those of the Authority.
Mandate of PSQCA:
The Government of Pakistan established PSQCA in 1996 with the following mandate:
-- Systematic development of standards relating to products & processes in consultation with stake holders.
-- Designing. Measuring and testing instruments and test procedures:
-- Inspection and testing of products and services for their quality, specification and characteristics, during use and for import and export purpose;
-- Setting up assisting in establishing and authorising various inspection and testing centers and agencies at important industrial sites and towns;
-- To stop manufacture, storage and sale of such products which do not comform to the Pakistan or any other country's standards recognized by the authority;
-- 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;
-- Securing recognition of the Pakistan Standards and confidence in Pakistani products abroad;
-- Registration of inspection agencies;
STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT CENTRE (SDC)
The Directorate of Standards, SDC (Standards Development Centre)-PSQCA is responsible for the development of Pakistan Standards to emphasise and contribute for enhancing the National economy and international competitiveness. In addition to it the SDC-PSQCA also adopts International Standards by the process of consultation and consensus involving Stakeholders (Consumers, Manufacturers, Government & Regulatory Bodies, Technologists, Scientists, Testing Laboratories and Academia) through its 12 divisions namely; Agri&Food, Automobile, Civil, Chemical, Electrical, Electronics, Halaal Division, Information Technology (IT) & Information Communication Technology (ICT), Management Standards System (MSS), Mechanical, Textile, Weights & Measure. Working with 177 Technical Committees, the Directorate of Standards has established 6056 Pakistan Standards, and adopted ISO 9185, IEC 6094, OIML 2,Codex Alimentarius (CAC) 21 and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 15 Standards.
QUALITY CONTROL CENTRE (QCC)
The formal Central Testing Laboratory was merged in Pakistan Standards Quality Control Authority under Act VI of 1996, after the Promulgation of the Pakistan Standards Quality Control Authority and renamed as Quality Control Centre.
The Quality Control Centre (QCC), working as a multifunctional testing laboratory offers testing services in the field of Food, Materials, Papers & Textiles, Microbiology and Water testing. QCC is organized in six sections and housed in a permanent facility, exclusively designed for the lab purpose. The QCC is presently operating at Karachi , Lahore and Peshawar. The Quetta facilities have also been planned to be established.
The QCC recognises its responsibility as a provider of quality testing services. QCC has developed and documented a quality management system to ensure customer satisfaction by complying with regulatory requirements and improving management of the Organisation. The quality management system has been designed to comply with international standards ISO/IEC 17025:2005
In 2014 the QCC Karachi and Lahore achieved the landmark of getting many of its labs Accredited through PNAC ie Microbiology, Water & Beverages Lab, Sugar Lab, Oil & Fats and Building Material (Cement) Lab stands Accredited and some new labs are in under process for extension of Scope of Accreditation like Food and Instrument Lab.
TECHNICAL SERVICES CENTRE (TSC)
Technical Services Centre (Former MIRDC) was established in Lahore in 1975 to assist the metal and allied materials industries of Pakistan by resolving their technical problems, improving productivity through transfer of technology thus saving foreign exchange through indigenous development of various metal and material products. The Centre has been offering services which are of diverse in nature and extend from short-term metallurgical evaluation to long-term stratigcal projects having national and International importance. These services cover the testing of mandatory as well as voluntory items in the area of Metallurgical Engineering, Mechnical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering and Auto and allied sector with respect to Pakistan Standards and International Standards Specifications. In addition to that the Centre has been engaged in providing services of material evaluation failure investigation, inspection services, short and long term training courses, seminar, workshops as per market needs. The centre offers an array of services by professionals and qualified team of engineers and scientists. The services of the centre are widely utilised by automotive, agricultural, iron and steel industry, rolling mills, forging units, textile, defense, power generation, gas pipe line, chemical, and cement and fertilizer industries.
PSQCA'S ROLE AS NATIONAL ENQUIRY POINT OF TBT-WTO FOR PAKISTAN
PSQCA is also working as National Enquiry Point (NEP) of TBT-WTO for Pakistan, established by Ministry of Commerce Government of Pakistan. The PSQCA as the designated NEP handles and process information regarding;
-- Technical regulations for mandatory standards of manufactured articles.
-- Standards adopted or proposed to be adopted.
-- Conformity assessment procedures on imports and exports to access international markets.
-- Receiving proposed technical regulations, conformity assessment procedures of member countries from WTO Secretariat for comments.
-- Disseminate proposed technical regulations, conformity assessment procedures among the trade stakeholders for their views/comments.
-- Compilation and validation of views/comments for placing before the concerned Technical Committee of Standardisation Wing.
-- Validated views/comments forward to the TBT notifying WTO member country for their consideration and to avoid from any technical barrier to trade as per TBT Agreement.
-- Maintain database for TBT Notifications/ Technical Regulations.
-- Coordination with Regulators other than PSQCA.
-- Bridging to eliminate technical/technological gap and to serve better the needs of traders.
Who can get benefits from National Enquiry Point
The NEP works as facilitation centre for importers/exporters/manufacturers/traders etc in the framework of WTO-TBT Agreement.The business community can get benefits from the enquiry point in the following manner:
-- Information on standards/technical regulations, conformity assessment procedures and other trade requirements from other WTO member countries.
-- Give opportunity to comment on technical regulations that may affect exports of Pakistan.
-- Alert about new technical regulations enacted or contemplated by trading partners which may affect trade.
-- Improve competitiveness and risk reduction in local industry.