Syed Shams-uz-Zaman Shah

Director General

PSQCA

Irfan Nadeem

Federal Secretary

Ministry of Science & Technology

Muhammad Azam Khan Swati

Federal Minister

Science and Technology

Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani

Prime Minister

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

Asif Ali Zardari

President

Islamic Republic of Pakistan

It is great privilege for me to be member in the PSQCA team celebrating World Standards Day in collaboration with the Chambers of Commerce & Industry, the industry itself, the consumer rights associations and others.
Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority, being member of ISO, IEC and their sister organization International Telecommunication Union (ITU) every year, this day, celebrate World Standards Day with specific theme and takes initiatives to achieve objective set out therein. The theme for this year is, “Standards make the world accessible for all” to focus development of standards that take care of elderly, sick, and physically retarded people.
The PSQCA has planned different activities- that include special supplement in national dailies, talk shows in electronic media, seminars, workshops in different parts of the country to convey the message to all the stakeholders that we are conscious to their needs and are geared to take all out efforts to satisfy those needs in close association with all those who matter within the government or outside it.
The PSQCA as National Standards and Regulatory Body is passing through transformation phase to sensitize relevant quarters about being there and justify its existence. Pakistan is a developing country generally having low purchasing power to its citizens; therefore, the consciousness of quality viz-a-viz price is a least priority of consumers. In that situation the realization is much less to address the needs of elderly, disabled or those who experience reduced accessibility in performing their simple, everyday activities. However, the change is slowly but surely setting in and there is growing consciousness to bring that class of population in mainstream that creates win-win situation both for the citizens in individual capacity and for the society on the whole.
This day the Authority reiterates its commitment to contribute proactively in furtherance of standard and quality culture in the country with more attention to those who due to age, health, or bodily structure are not able to benefit therefrom.
I take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank all those who directly or indirectly have contributed in various activities of the Day.
 

پاکستان اسٹینڈرڈ کوالٹی کنٹرول اتھارٹی ( پی ایس کیو سی اے ) نے ان کوالٹی اسٹینڈرڈز کے نفاذ کے لئے انتھک کوششیں کیں ہیں، جن کی اہمیت پر ورلڈ اسٹینڈرڈز ڈے پر روشنی ڈالی جاتی ہے ۔ صارفین کی بدولت ہی کسی ملک کی معاشی ترقی عمل میں آسکتی ہے ، لہذا انہیں عزت دینے کے ساتھ ساتھ مضبوط اور موثر کنزیومر پروٹیکشن قوانین کے تحت تحفظ فراہم کرنا چاہئیے ، جیسا کہ ترقی یافتہ ممالک میں رائج ہے ۔
دنیا بھر میں موجود کروڑوں لوگ ، جو کسی نہ کسی معذوری کا شکار ہیں ، مصنوعات، سروسز ، سہولیات ، ماحولیات اور دیگر آسانیوں تک رسائی کے حوالے سے مشکلات کا سامنا کرتے ہیں ۔ رسائی سے متعلق مسائل کا اندازہ اس بات سے لگایا جاسکتا ہے کہ اقوام متحدہ کے مطابق ، دنیا بھر میں معذوری کے شکار افراد کی تعداد 650 ملین ہے ۔ پیدائشی ، حادثاتی یا بڑھاپے کے نتیجے میں یعنی کسی بھی قسم کی معذوری کے ساتھ رہنے والے افراد کی شرح دنیا کی کل آبادی کا 10٪ ہے ، بلکہ حقیقت تو یہ ہے کہ دنیا کی سب سے بڑی اقلیت ہیں ۔ زیادہ پریشانی کی بات یہ ہے کہ بڑھتی ہوئی آبادی کے ساتھ ساتھ اس تعداد میں اضافہ ہورہا ہے ۔ پاکستان میں جیسے جیسے معذوری سے پاک افراد کی عمر بڑھتی ہے ، بینائی اور سماعت کی کمزوری میں اضافہ اور نقل و حمل اور قوت میں کمی کے باعث ان کی رسائی متاثر ہوتی ہے۔
بین الاقوامی اسٹینڈرڈز سے مینو فیکچررز اور سروس فراہم کرنے والوں کو ایسی مصنوعات ڈیزائن کرنے میں تکنیکی معاونت ملتی ہے ، جو سب کو دستیاب ہوں ۔ پی ایس کیو سی اے کو بطور نیشنل اسٹینڈرڈز باڈی ، پہل کرتے ہوئے ایسے اقدام لینے چاہئیے جن کی بدولت قومی اسٹینڈرڈز کو بین الاقوامی اسٹینڈرڈز کے ساتھ ہم آہنگ کرکے رسائی کے ان مسائل کا حل ڈھونڈا جاسکے جو کسی بھی جسمانی معذوری یا بڑھاپے کی وجہ سے پیدا ہوتے ہیں۔ اس قدم کے نتیجے میں معاشرے میں ہنرمند افراد کا اضافہ ہوگا ۔ وزارت سائنس و ٹیکنالوجی ، وفاقی حکومت کے تحت ، پی ایس کیو سی اے کو اس مقصد کے حصول کےلئے ہر ممکن معاونت فراہم کرنے کا پختہ عزم رکھتی ہے۔
 

پاکستان    میں صنعتی ، معاشی اور کمرشل سطح پر متعدد طریقوں سے ہونے والی ترقی کا سہرا صارفین کو جاتا ہے۔ تاہم، ان سب کے باوجود پاکستان میں صارفین ایک غیر محفوظ کمیونٹی ہیں، اس مسئلے پر کئی بار آواز اٹھائی گئی ہے لیکن کوئی عملی کاروائی نہیں کی گئی ۔ حکومت کی ذمہ داری یہ ہے کہ وہ ایسے قانون تشکیل دے اور نافذ کرے جس سے صارفین کے تحفظ کو یقینی بنایا جاسکے۔ دوسری جانب سول سوسائٹی کو چاہئے کہ وہ صارفین کے نظریات اور مصنوعات اور سروسز فراہم کرنے والے سپلائرز کے مطالبوں کی بھرپور عکاسی کرے۔
پچھلی تین دہائیوں سے پاکستان بھر میں این جی اوز اور سول سوسائٹی نے رسائی سے متعلق مسائل کو اجاگر کرتے ہوئے پاکستان ڈس ایلٹیز آرڈیننس نمبر XLبرائے 1981( جو معذور افراد کی ملازمت ، آبادکاری اور فلاح سے متعلق ہے) کے نفاذ پر زور دیا ہے ۔ ایک اندازے کے مطابق ، پاکستان میں معذور لوگوں کی شرح کل آبادی کا 2.5 فیصد ہے ، جبکہ شہری اور دیہی علاقوں میں ان کی تقسیم 3:1 کے حساب سے ہے ۔ دیہی علاقوں میں بہت سے معذور افراد کو معاشرے میں کوئی بھی اہم کردار ادا کرنے سے خارج کردیا جاتا ہے اور اس کی سب سے بڑی وجہ رسائی کے حوالے سے کسی بھی قسم کی پیش رقت کا فقدان ہے۔ ان میں وسائل اور تعلیم کا کردار سب سے اہم ہے ۔ یہ رکاوٹیں جہالت اور بے توجہی کا نتیجہ ہیں ، حالانکہ اچھی منصوبہ بندی کی بدولت ان کی روک تھام باآسانی کی جاسکتی ہے۔ رسائی کے حوالے سے معیار وضع کرنے سے ڈس ایبلٹیز آورڈیننس کے اصول و قوانین کا نفاذ کرنے میں مدد ملے گی۔
پاکستان اور دنیا بھر میں معذور افراد کی رسائی بڑھانے میں معاونت کے لئے اسٹینڈرڈز کا کردار بہت اہم ہے۔ ان سٹینڈرڈز اور ان کی مطابقت کی جانچ پڑتال کے لئے پروگراموں کی بدولت ان معذور افراد کی رسائی میں اضافہ کرنے میں مدد ملے گی ۔
مجھے خوشی ہے کہ اس ورلڈ اسٹینڈرڈز ڈے پر پاکستان اسٹینڈرڈ کوالٹی کنٹرول اتھارٹی ( پی ایس کیو سی اے ) نے مستقبل کے چیلنجز سے نمٹنے کے لئے تمام موجود وسائل اور قابلیتوں کو بروئے کار لانے کا عزم کیا ہے۔ پی ایس کیو سی اے نیشنل اسٹینڈرڈ باڈی ہونے کے ناطے صارفین کے حقوق کی حفاظت کے لئے کوشاں ہے ، اس کے علاوہ پی ایس کیو سی اے پر عزم ہے کہ وہ صنعتوں کے کاروبار میں اضافے کے لئے بین الاقوامی معیار کے مطابق مصنوعات کی تیاری یقینی بنائے تاکہ بین الاقوامی سطح پر ہمارے ملک کی مصنوعات کو فروغ ملے۔

I extend my felicitation to Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) for commemorating the World Standards Day with special focus on adopting accessibility standards in buildings, products, technologies and systems that are accessible for persons with special needs. It is the constitutional obligation of the Government of Pakistan to provide standardized accessibility opportunities for disabled persons. In future relevant legislation will be passed by the Government to make all its buildings and schools accessible to the disabled and the buildings already constructed should also be made accessible.

The harmonized implementation of international accessibility standards on public and private multi storey buildings, transport, education, IT etc can bring disable people into mainstream. Government stands to support all positive initiatives in this regard. The corporate sector in more advanced countries has come to recognize that its existence growth and profitability depend largely on the consumers and their needs. The ever increasing emphasis on corporate social responsibility that has been formalized through ISO Guidance of SR (ISO-26000) and consumer rights are the outcome of this recognition.

So critical have these considerations become that the companies now have to stress on the strength of their performance in corporate governance and corporate social responsibility. Government believes in fair competition and fair play in the market. The passage of Law for Competition Commission of Pakistan (CCP) is a clear step in this direction. Failure of the market forces and lack of competition gives rise to the issue of cartelization and exploitation of the consumers including the handicapped. However, the government is committed to address the problem in its true prospective.
 

The World Standards Day is a reminder to all of us of the need to protect consumers’ rights and to devise institutional systems for protecting those rights. It is reassuring that this year’s World Standards Day focuses on the need for adopting accessibility standards in buildings as well as in products and systems that addresses the needs of special people.

We need to develop user-friendly technologies and also create barrier free environment that facilitates special persons to lead normal lives and integrates them in the society. Elderly and infirm persons with no disability will also benefit from these products and technologies.

The government is fully cognizant of its responsibility to launch welfare schemes for the special people and protect their rights as consumers. A Special Cards Scheme for Special Persons has been launched to address the needs of special persons. In addition, NADRA has been tasked to conduct special disability survey in each district.

Let us on this day renew our commitment and redouble our efforts to demolish the barriers that stand in the way of the integration of the naturally afflicted people in the mainstream.

I am pleased to learn that the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) is playing a proactive role to protect the consumers. It is commendable that it has involved the civil society and the corporate sector to not only create awareness but also devise a joint strategy to meet the challenges of consumer protection especially for people with physical disabilities.

I hope the World Standards Day will generate the needed awareness about the importance of adopting standards and devising quality control systems to protect the rights of people with special needs.

اسٹینڈرڈز کی بدولت آپ دنیا آپ کی پہنچ میں
 

Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority & Array of Activities

The Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority, under the Ministry of Science and Technology, is a statutory body under PSQCA Act, 1996 to provide for the standardization and quality control services in Pakistan. It is successor to erstwhile Pakistan Standards Institute and Central Testing Laboratories.

It is a not-for-profit organisation that coordinates standardization  activities and facilitates the development of Pakistan Standards by working with Government, industry and the community. PSQCA has also been established to advise the Government on standardization policies, programmes and activities to promote industrial efficiency and development, as well as for consumer protection. PSQCA in its capacity of National Standards Body is member to International Organization for Standardization (ISO), International Electro-technical Commission (IEC), and International Organization of Legal Metrology (OIML).

The main function of the Authority is to foster and promote standards and conformity assessment as a means of advancing the national economy, promoting industrial efficiency and development, ensuring the health and safety of the public, protecting the consumers, facilitating domestic and international trade and furthering international co-operation in relation to standards and conformity assessment.

Globalization, competition, innovation, and sustainability are just some of the many challenges of running a successful business in the new millennium. Standards and conformity assessment play a vital role in helping industry to meet rapidly evolving business requirements. PSQCA has been established with this very objective to enable industry to make the most of voluntary standardization and integrate with global trading system.  

However, the Parliament has entrusted PSQCA with array of functions; accordingly it has managed its activities as follows, namely-

a)         Standards Development

b)         Product Conformity Assessment

c)         Laboratory Testing Services

d)         International Activities

e)         Consumer Liaison

f)         Training Services

h)         WTO Enquiry Point

Standards Development

Pakistan Standards are consensus documents developed by Technical Committees (TCs) and approved by the National Standard Committees in accordance with PSQCA  Act and Pakistan Standards Rules, 2008. Pakistan Standards (PS) specifies the optimum requirements of quality and safety for voluntary use by the public. However, the law empowers Federal Government to notify any national standard to be complied with mandatorily. The standards are developed in accordance with best international practices; wherein ISO/IEC Guide 59 – Code of good practice for standardization and WTO/TBT Agreement act as guiding principles. The Pakistan Standards are dynamic documents and are revised periodically to harmonize with and internalize latest technological developments in relevant field.

Briefly, the categories of Pakistan Standards (PS) prescribe: Specification, Testing methods, Codes of good practice / recommendations, Terminology / glossaries / vocabulary / symbols / nomenclature, and Classification / grading. So for 6284 Pakistan Standards have been developed locally while more than 20000 ISO/IEC standards have been adopted.

Conformity Assessment (Quality Control)

This is one of the prime functions of the Authority and very basic reason of its existence. As stated above, the mandatory standards notified by the Government of Pakistan are enforced through elaborate system of licensing, inspection, sampling, testing, and market surveillance. The entire scheme relies upon the international system of Conformity assessment; and the Authority for the purpose has number of officers trained in relevant areas of science to carryout quality control function. Till this publication goes to press, there are 78 items under mandatory regime whether locally produced or imported.  All the mandatory items are to be marked with Authority’s Mark as mark of conformance with respective national standards.

Laboratory Services

PSQCA laboratories (i.e. Quality Control Centre and Technical Service Center) are basically non commercial laboratories and have been set up for independent testing of samples which are drawn both from factory and market under PSQCA product certification scheme. During the process of testing, confidentiality of samples is maintained right from their receipt in sample section to testing and issuance of test reports. At present, PSQCA’s laboratories are providing testing facilities in the field of chemical, mechanical, microbiology, civil engineering, metallurgical and electrical disciplines. Quality Assurance is an important activity in all PSQCA’s laboratories to ensure the credibility of test results with their Quality Management System in line with the requirements of PS/ISO/IEC 17025: 2005.

Expanding international trade

Harmonizing conformity assessment procedures around the world also has far-reaching benefits for international trade in general. PSQCA is actively engaged in developing reciprocal recognition arrangements between National Standards Bodies all over the world. Agreements among nations or regions on the mutual acceptability of requirements, assessment methods, inspection or test results, minimize if not eliminate completely, the technical barriers to trade. PSQCA’s initiatives can help made-in-Pakistani goods and services enter foreign markets with little or no hindrance.

PSQCA is currently working with its partners and has signed bilateral (with Saudi Arabian Standards Organization, American National Standards Institute, ASTM International) and multilateral Recognition Arrangement with regional groups in SAARC and ECO. Pakistani industry will benefit from improved terms of trade through application of standards and conformity assessment practices which are relevant to them. With an estimated overall impact of 80 per cent of world trade tied to standards and related conformity assessment activities, PSQCA’s promotion of the relationship between standardization and trade is vital to Pakistan’s competitiveness.

Consumer Liaison

Every person in the society whether an individual or an industry is consumer of at least something. Being conscious of importance to take them along in activities, the Authority have two fully functional offices in Karachi and Rawalpindi to maintain close liaison with the consumers and consumer associations to safeguard their interest in standards formulation and other spheres of their concern. World Consumer Rights Day was celebrated by PSQCA in March 2010. On the occasion seminars were organized at Islamabad and Karachi simultaneously. The programs were attended by consumers, delegates from consumer organizations, educational institutions and Government officials and successfully achieved objectives of raising awareness of the masses.

Training Services

The law entrusts Authority for preparation, implementation, co-ordination or arranging of the training programmers on standardization, quality control testing and weights and measures, for technical staff of the Authority, other organizations and trainees from foreign countries. However, for some time due to several circumstances this activity has remained dormant; nevertheless in-house trainings for officers have been resumed and in recent weeks three trainings in Conformity Assessment and Standards Development in accordance with ISO Guides have been successfully conducted. More such trainings for officers as well as for outsiders are in advanced stages of planning.

By virtue of being member to ISO, the Authority is invited to send its officials to participate international activities conducted by it throughout the year and worldwide. This enables its functionaries to add value to their expertise.

WTO National Enquiry Point

As designated  WTO/TBT Enquiry Point, PSQCA serves as the nodal point of contact in Pakistan for WTO member countries to disseminate and provide information on standardization-related market entry requirements. It also serves as one window to other member countries of WTO as data bank on standards, technical regulations and conformity assessment requirements. The Enquiry Point being obligation under transparency provisions of the TBT Agreement has to be in position to answer all reasonable queries in soonest possible time frame; therefore has very important function to perform. In this respect it has to be updated about any requirements pertaining to market entry of goods and maintain close coordination with all other government agencies in this regard.

PSQCA aligned with National Needs

Pakistan in recent years has been experiencing acute shortage of energy deficit. The Government of Pakistan has started several initiatives of energy conservation in which the Authority is contributing significantly through enforcing energy efficiency standards on energy savers, bulbs, tube lights and gas appliances.

New Initiatives

Recently, the Authority under new administration at local level and full support of the Government through Ministry of Science & Technology has taken very proactive stance by visiting several chain stores like makro, metro, CSD, utility stores and various bachat bazzars for on the spot checking through its mobile testing laboratory. This has produced very good results as enforcement regime has improved tremendously besides getting very positive feedback from general public.

Besides, sustained and aggressive media campaign has also been successfully executed for quite some time. This has complemented other surveillance exercise of the Authority and improved in its standing and has worked as magic wand to boost morale of its functionaries.

In last couple of months the Authority have made frog leaps and have launched new mark to be used as mark on products conforming national standards. Further, a long outstanding issue of rationalizing marking fee has been resolved in consultation with all the stake holders and the fee for food and voluntary items have been halved to 0.05% ex-factory price.

The development work on PSQCA complex is progressing fast and laboratories currently in old CTL building in Pakistan Secretariat will be housed over there in matter of few weeks.

World Standards Day

This year the PSQCA is not celebrating this day as annual ritual rather than with new spirit of promoting quality consciousness among all stakeholders through active participation in various activities of the day. Special activities for print and electronic media have been planned. A central seminar is being held in Karachi by very generous support of the FPCCI in their very own premises. The federal Minister and the Secretary Science & Technology are schedules to attend.