Director General, Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), Muhammad Khalid Siddiq, has said that the authority has prepared a draft Foreign Manufacturing License (FML), which would shortly be approved by the Board of Directors of PSQCA for its implementation. He said this while talking to a forum during his visit to Overseas Investor Chamber of Commerce & Industry (OICCI) office, on last Saturday.
OICCI members showed their concerns and dissatisfaction over PSQCA procedure for checking each shipment individually for quality which delays their shipment clearance from ports at imports stage, and requested him for licensing scheme for frequent importers. "PSQCA acknowledges your legitimate concerns and I assure you to resolve concern through expeditious efforts and introducing Foreign Manufacturing License scheme. Once this scheme is introduced each shipment will not be checked for quality testing at imports stage, as PSQCA objective is to facilitate the stakeholders." he said.
This activity is in line with international rules and PSQCA Act VI 1996 and in compliance to PSQCA commitment towards quality products. Therefore, FML scheme will align Pakistan with foreign countries which are quality-oriented and running successful certification marks scheme.
The proposed FML is to faster the activities as per international practices. He assured the Chamber by introduction of FML the problems being faced by importers would be amicably resolved. He informed that on the safe side the FML in the start would be limited only to the reputable firms to avoid its abuse. He also invited suggestions of the business community for incorporation into this new initiation. The DG referred to the survey reports of Overseas Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry (OICCI) indicating the low satisfaction level of the business community on PSQCA and he requested the forum to provide the basis of the survey and questionnaire circulated in order to assist the responses and initiation appropriate measure/corrective actions to counter element present in such a report.