ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz Tuesday said that Pakistan would expand its scope of research in the field of halal food with the support of the Muslim countries.

“Research in the relevant field should bring benefit to the people of Pakistan and the entire humanity,” said Shibli Faraz speaking at the inauguration ceremony of a three-day Comstech training course entitled: “How to establish halal food testing laboratory”.

Shibli Faraz said his ministry was focusing on strengthening its institutions and taking steps for developing coordination between market and universities.

The minister said by conviction, Islam was a way of life and sets food standards for humanity.

The minister emphasised on ensuring quality of halal food items and said that labs should have capacity to determine halal (lawful) and haram (unlawful) with the focus on complete food value chain.

The minister encouraged all halal industry related institutions to develop mechanisms for increasing capacities and advised that universities should be part of this as well.

He highlighted the way forward for research in halal food by mentioning that there was a huge gap between research done in the past in Pakistan and its applications.

Comtech Coordinator General Dr Iqbal Choudhary in his speech said halal accreditation and certification was a niche in which Pakistan could achieve excellence.

He said that halal business was growing over 20pc and there are no major halal certification bodies in Muslim countries.

Dr Iqbal Choudhary said that at Comstech focus was on science based commercialisation and developing capacity in OIC member states focusing on the application of science research output.

He said that the theme of training course was relevant to industrial development of Pakistan and OIC.

The Turkish Standards and Metrology Institute for Islamic Countries (SMIIC), Secretary General, Ihsan Ovut said that there was a need to develop common standards with the commitment to practice them to compete internationally.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2021