ISLAMABAD, June 16: The certification committee of Engineering Development Board (EDB) for electrical goods on Friday decided to form an inter-ministerial committee to initiate immediate measures for establishment of a central certification authority in the country to meet international markets’ requirements.The EDB met under the chairmanship of Imtiaz Rastgar, vice-chairman and chief executive officer, selected Ataur Rahman Arain, chairman Amber Capacitors Limited, as convener to draw a roadmap to achieve the target.

The meeting was informed by the CEO that some leading Pakistani electrical goods manufacturing companies, which had attended the Hannover Fair, 2006, had received encouraging response from different parts of the world, but were facing difficulties to market their products in the absence of a quality certification system in the country. So, immediate measures were required to fulfil this international requirement in order to make inroads in the world markets, he added.

The meeting was informed that 75 per cent of electrical appliances in the country were damaged due to defective switches as there was no quality standard. The meeting felt that there was no awareness in the country about requirements of different markets resulting in huge losses to the industry.

The meeting was further informed about some cases in which big consignments were rejected by the exporting countries. The meeting underlined the need of establishing a laboratory in the country with international recognition and accreditation with world bodies for issuing quality certification.

The meeting also reviewed various international certification systems and found that getting necessary certification was very expensive for local companies and no organisation could afford these. Therefore, an indigenous system has to be evolved.