KARACHI: Unchecked usage of substandard steel bars has not only compromised the quality and sustainability of infrastructure and residential projects but also posed a serious risk to the future generation as Pakistan is located in a seismic zone, warned Pakistan Association of Large Steel Producers (PALSP) on Monday.

In a letter to Federal Minister for Science and Technology Agha Hassan Baloch, the association claimed that almost half of steel bars being sold in different markets across the country are substandard and do not meet the standards of Pakistan Quality Control and Standard Authority (PSQCA).

The association regretted that the laws and standards are very clear but unfortunately the authorities concerned have utterly failed to implement the relevant rules and regulations.

According to a research study conducted by the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake of 2005, one of the major factors for the collapse of buildings was the usage of substandard steel.

PSQCA Standard PS-1879-2018 for steel reinforcement bars clearly states that rebars should be manufactured by following the complete process of melting, refinement and rolling with complete temperature controls.

Re-rollable scrap and scrap ship plates must not be directly re-rolled into steel bars. However, many manufacturers are blatantly violating the PSQCA laws/standards by producing sub-standard steel bars by directly rolling plates generated from the shipbreaking industry as well as from imported re-rollable scrap into substandard steel bars.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2022