February 7, 2006	Tuesday	Muharram 8, 1427

KARACHI, Feb 6: The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (Unisame) has urged the Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) to provide to promote SME sector and provide them facilities to enable them register their products with the authority.

Unisame president Zulfikar Thaver has invited the attention of PSQCA Director General to the fact that many SME industries were manufacturing quality products and were meeting international standards, but had not obtained certification from the PSQCA due to tedious procedures and documentation.

He suggested that the PSQCA should set up a cell for SME certifications and facilitate the process of paperwork by supporting the SMEs which qualify on merit. Mr Thaver asked the SME industries to obtain certification for their products from the PSQCA under their voluntary scheme.

He said that the Certification Marks Scheme was mandatory for 46 items and adoption for others was voluntary and SMEs should avail the facility and benefit being given by the PSQCA under one window service for Standardization and Quality Control.