I am pleased to observe the initiative taken by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) in celebrating the World Standards Day on 14th October 2016.
The aim of such an activity is to raise awareness and build a knowledge base about standards and quality related concepts that provide consumers' confidence on the products & services supplied. Following the introduction of the WTO trading regime Standardisation has taken on additional significance, helping organisations to compete globally. This year's theme for the world standard day is "Standards-Build Trust", this highlights the need of ensuring compliance towards standards and quality for an enhanced trust building.
Rapid changes in technologies and communications are impacting the way that the standards are being developed. Standards play the universal role as mediator, arbitrator and facilitator to help translate the needs of the end customer and associated process design to meet all such explicit as well as implicit and unstated desires. Standards enable global commerce through international trade, eliminating localised trade barriers and providing a trust worthy standard quality system for the business community as well as the consumers.
Lack of adherence to standards impacts the safety, quality, reliability and compatibility of the products as well as the trust that a manufacturer can enjoy. Standards do not only affect us only as consumers, they also impact us as citizens, employees and professionals as well. Standards help organisations meet their customer's needs while focusing and optimising their processes. Compliance and adherence to standards thus assures the presence of trust and confidence at all level, PSQCA's role as the National Standards Body (NSB) has become increasingly challenging, in todays competitive global environment to develop and harmonise standards keeping in view the intricacies and complexities of various technical aspects. Additionally, Pakistan Standards also need to ensure the provision of social benefits such as consumer protection. In this regard PSQCA is entrusted with an extremely important task, which should be carried out in a professional manner. The effective celebrations of World Standards Day i e. 14th October, 2016, by the PSQCA will highlight the standardisation activities of PSQCA in a comprehensive manner, This would also serve as a reminder to all the stakeholders that Pakistani products and services must conform to international quality standards for enhancing our ingress into foreign markets and cater for the aspect of consumer welfare in the domestic market. I would avail of this opportunity to exhort upon our business community to ensure quality of products and services, produced by them, by conscientiously adhering to international quality standards. As we observe the World Standards Day, let us pledge our resolve to further improve our standards to make our products more marketable in the global markets.