PSQCA, the national standards body of Pakistan has been member of the ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation), participated in meeting of ISO committee on developing country matters (DEVCO) in its 41st meeting held in Geneva on 17th and 18th September, 2007.
The meeting was followed by 30th ISO General Assembly held on 19 - 21 September in Geneva, Switzerland. The delegation of Pakistan was led by Mr Parvez Butt, Secretary, Ministry of Science & Technology (MoST), Government of Pakistan.
Other members of the delegation included Mr Abdul Ghaffar Soomro, Director General, Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) and Engineer M. A. Jabbar from Industry. The ISO Secretary had earlier encouraged the national standard bodies to include persons from Industry, Business in the delegation for ISO General Assembly recognising them as the necessary parties as stakeholders in the process of standardisation.
The ISO general assembly coincided with 60th anniversary of the ISO establishment for promoting standardisation as the tool of the economic uplift and custodian of consumers' interests. The establishment of ISO from the earlier need of harmonisation of engineering standards has now expanded to cover the social standards with multidimensional agenda in the interest of global prosperity for accelerating the smooth flow of trade amongst the member countries of the WTO.
During the meetings and the ISO General Assembly Pakistan delegation made forceful presentations and comments on the floor of General Assembly with participation of 150 members from more than 100 countries which were appreciated by president of the ISO, secretary general of ISO and by the participants as acknowledgement of due and fair interventions for mindful accommodations and customising the minds of representatives of developing countries in their group interests.
These interventions were focused on the needs of developing countries and were stressed upon for capacity building and removing the supply constraints for better administration and governance of public policies to promote standardisation's to help developing countries including Pakistan to trade without being felt impeded by technical barriers coming in the way of exploitation of the potential of developing countries including Pakistan. Conceding in the general assembly Pakistan delegation said that standardisation is business strategy which can be better serviced by further organisation of development of National standard bodies in developing countries including Pakistan.
Delegation of Pakistan participating in the General Assembly appreciated the pursuit of International Trade Centre stance of International Trade Center affiliate of ISO calling for international harmonisation of standards to avoid duplications and manage in time delivery of quality goods and services on the basis of multilateral recognition of agreements of conformance and acceptance of each others tests made by accredited servicing laboratories and relevant bodies mutually and multilaterally recognised for cross bordering of world trade without complaining of barriers created by TBT applications.
The delegation of Pakistan on the supply side strength for standardisation giving comments suggested that ISO aided by international agencies of UN should prepare curriculum of studies related to standardisation to be proposed for high school level and of more appropriate level in colleges more specific for developing countries.
Multi lateral donors and agencies of UN can play a key role In providing assistance to developing countries so that the generation under education before becoming part of service providers in the society becomes agents of promoting standardisation as the necessary tool for domestic needs for the human health in life and general welfare of the civil society.
The service providers after such education can better manage interests of natural people of globe as well such a challenge is now posed by likely global warming by another 3 degree centigrade in this century which can be contained through standardisation of efficient management of environment.
The delegation of Pakistan also suggested to ISO General Assembly to check the possibility of ensuring the cross bordering of information among developing countries on their national standards, regional standards and adopted and amended standards on products and services so that it could lead to better education and understanding of each others requirements for conducting international trade.
Delegation of Pakistan was also of the view that such information available on websites can always give dynamics for support of harmonisation of standards, an ultimate objective which ISO may be seized of and is also equally shared by International Trade Centre which is using its expertise in trade facilitation.
ITC is also involved in trade facilitation which equally refers to agreement on technical barriers to trade an agreement of WTO which encourages members to coherent themselves on the issue through standard bodies in which name of ISO is on the front running.
This fact is well realised with the presence of ISO in WTO as an observer and participant in matters related to standards, good practices and technical barriers to trade and limiting their unnecessary impeding force in the flow of trade.
Professor Jonathan Koppell of politics and management at Yale University, as a speaker during his deliberations suggested that standards are barriers to corruption's which opinion he held by delivering his thought provoking lecture based on its current research on the structure and management of global governance organisations.
ISO President Mr Hakan Murby while welcoming the 30th ISO General Assembly said that in 60 years of ISO history we have come a long way and the lens of history can magnify few of the features which include impressive existence of ISO family members from 157 countries covering 97% of worlds population, representing 98% of the worlds gross national income, over 190 technical committees in the world, involving contributions close to 100,000 experts.
One recommendation of standards every second month has made us proud of ISO's contribution with over 16,500 published standards at an average of more than 100 standards produced during 2006 alone.
Mr Hakan Murby said that in response to the specific needs of developing countries we are currently applying a successful action plan to build up their capacity to participate and use our standards.
COPOLCO (consumer related) and CASCO (conformance assessments) came into existence to address emerging concerns related to consumer acceptation's and conformity assessment.
DEVCO (developing countries) is also equally important for us and we are now charging their co-operations amongst each other or as a group for better compliance of the global trade in context of standards of merchandise, services, environment management and social responsibilities.
Mr Hakan Murby addressing the assembly said that standardisation contributes to the economic and social progress. It brings society together as a force of peace, materialising consensus and understanding, and providing the global community with tools to achieve the goals of sustainable development.
The president of ISO while addressing the assembly said that in the beginning ISO standards, or recommendations as they were then - were mainly perceived as instruments to assist industry in manufacturing inter-operability and distribution, and though continuing to play this part, they are also valued for addressing the equality, safety environmental and health aspects of products and processes.
In his concluding remarks, ISO President said that as we face the economic social and environmental challenges of an increasingly global world, the urgency of addressing climate change sustainable energy and security, and of dealing with finite natural resources, giant emerging economies and rapidly evolving technologies, ISO standardisation is there to develop and provide a tool box of widely recognised global solutions.
On this occasion, Mr Bjorn Stigson, World Business Council for Sustainable Development addressing the assembly said that sustainable development is increasingly becoming a mainstream issue for business. In his concluding deliberations he warned that businesses cannot succeed in a society that fails.
Mr Abdul Ghaffar Soomro, Director General, PSQCA after attending the ISO General Assembly in Geneva said that active participation of Pakistan in DEVCO in matters of developing countries and in the ISO General Assemblies was acknowledged.
The presence of ours further strengthened by one to one meetings with representatives of different countries found reception of being offered MRA proposals on standardisation and increasing prospects of mutual trade without any barriers.
This is a good start to look towards regional co-operations for helping business community of Pakistan to conduct trade more comfortably with the passage of time when bilateral, mutually recognised and regionally accepted standards of each other offers smooth flow of trade which is the main objective of global developments that calls for technical barriers not unnecessarily to impede the trade.
The Director General, PSQCA further said that the presence of Mr Parvez Butt, Secretary, Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of Pakistan as a leader of delegation glorified the value of our presence.
He added that Mr Butt, a renowned scientist of our country with his fitting communication skill enriched with appropriate language managed to invite the best attention of representatives of International standard bodies such as DIN (German), BSI (UK), NIST (US), SASO (Saudi Arabian Standards Organisation) on the matters of interests of Pakistan.
The DIN and BSI delegates to ISO General Assembly showed their concurrence for all possible co-operations to national standard body of Pakistan. PSQCA on the issues related to matters which could strengthen the steering of strategy of Ministry of Science and Technology under the able leadership of Mr Parvez Butt.
The Secretary, MoST made interactions on energy efficiency and renewable energy resources standards with Dr George Arnold, Vice President policy, ISO. Mr Parvez Butt managed to seek help from NIST, US through Dr John Arnold, Vice President, ISO for strengthening the capacity of national standard body of Pakistan including technical assistance on matters related on efficient use of energy and of finite resources.
Mr Abdul Ghaffar Soomro also appreciated the role of industry from Pakistan during interventions and necessary comments and proposals advanced through Engr. M. A. Jabbar whose presence in the ISO General Assembly was acknowledged as forceful presentations on behalf of private sector of Pakistan in particular and that of developing countries in general.