Testing of samples at accredited laboratories may result in enhancement of exports. Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC), an autonomous organisation of the Ministry of Science & Technology, is providing accreditation services for testing and calibration according to international requirements.
PNAC in a communication sent to trade bodies said that recognising the need and to enhance its international credibility, PNAC has secured membership of the following organisations:
-- Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (APLAC);
-- International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC);
-- Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (PAC); and
-- International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
-- These are the regional and international apex bodies in the field of accreditation.
PNAC said that accreditation of laboratories, according to international standards, enhances the consumers' confidence and reduces technical barriers to trade, thus resulting in improving quality of products and services and, above all, broadening export base of the country. Currently, a number of exporters from Pakistan have to send their samples to accredited laboratories abroad for testing, which costs them heavily.
Following is the list of the laboratories accredited by PNAC, along with their broader scope:
-- NPSL, Islamabad--calibration;
-- PCSIR, Karachi--food microbiology, calibration, textile, environmental testing, chemical, mycotoxins;
-- Qarshi Research International, Hattar--water testing, natural herbs, microbiology;
-- Platinum Pharmaceutical, Karachi--pharmaceutical testing;
-- QC Wah Nobel, Wah Cantt--explosives;
-- LRC, PCSIR, Karachi--physical and chemical test of leather;
-- SGS Pakistan, Karachi--physical and chemical tests of textile;
-- F-6 Rebuilt Factory, Kamra--alloys testing, calibration;
-- Explosives (XL), POF Wah--calibration, testing of propellants, water and elemental analysis;
-- Dimensional ML, POF Wah--calibration.
-- Metallurgical Lab, POF Wah--physical and chemical testing of metals.
-- Neutron Activation, Pinstech--environmental, geological and biological analysis for food, animals, etc for short, intermediate and long lived nuclides;
-- FRC, Karachi--water, coal.
-- Pakistan Steel, Karachi--physical and chemical testing of steel;
-- Pakistan Tobacco Ltd, Nowshera--physical and chemical testing of tobacco;
-- SGS Textiles, Lahore--physical and chemical tests of textile;
-- MRE, PACB, Kamra--calibration;
-- KARF, Kamra--calibration;
-- PCSIR, Peshawar--environmental, mineral, herbal and pharmaceutical;
-- Mineral Testing Laboratory, Peshawar--mineral, environmental; -Efroze Chemicals, Karachi--pharmaceutical, microbiology;
-- Textile Testing International, Lahore--physical testing of textile; -SGS Chemical & Env Lab, Karachi--environmental, mineral; and
-- PCSIR, Lahore--food & microbiology, calibration, environmental testing.