LAHORE: The standards and quality control body has decided to take action against manufacturers of 61 newly notified products, including electronics, cosmetics and food items, and doing business without licences.

The proprietors of the businesses have been given a grace period of three months since the Ministry of Science and Technology notified on Oct 3, 2020 the inclusion of 61 new items that required licensing for commercial sale to ensure the products qualify the quality standards set for the respective items.

These products include shaving cream, hair cream and skin powder, multi-nutrient ammonium sulphate and potassium sulphate fertilizers, car and bicycle tyres and rims, surgical gloves, sanitary taps, water and gas supply (polypropylene) pipes and polyethylene tanks, uninterruptible power systems (UPS), batteries, coaxial communication cables, sound system equipments, electricity switches, hot-rolled and cold-reduced carbon steel sheets, spectacle frames, lighters, washing machines, televisions, air-conditioners, electric irons, microwave ovens, fortified wheat flour, fruit juices and nectars, olive oil (virgin and refined), etc.

The Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) has chalked out a plan for licensing of the 61 new items recently inducted in its mandatory list by the federal government, says a spokesperson for the authority. Special teams have been formed to raid units for seizing stocks and stopping production after completion of grace time.

He says the owners of at least 20 businesses have got themselves registered and 50 others are in the process of registration during the grace period.

The spokesman says that after completion of grace period on Dec 31, 2020, Director General Abdul Aleem Memon has directed officers of the authority to take action against the units not coming up for registration of their products with the authority.

Standard Development Centre Conformity Assessment Lahore Zone Muhammad Yasin Akhtar has constituted special teams for complete compliance of the notification issued by the ministry and the teams have begun serving notices to the units producing the 61 new items.

The spokesperson says the authority will serve two notices, each giving 14 days for response to the respondent, on the defaulting units and if they fail to submit applications for licence during the period, the PSQCA teams will start seizing stocks and stopping manufacturing of products.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2021