ISLAMABAD, Oct 13 — Pakistan needs to strengthen its culture of quality and encourage businesses to treat standards as strategic tools for efficiency, market access and global competitiveness, Director General of the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority Dr Sayeda Zia Batool has said.
In her message on World Standards Day, Dr Batool said standardisation plays an important role in connecting markets, building consumer trust and supporting economic growth.
Referring to this year’s theme, “Shared Vision for a Better World: Spotlight on SDG 7 – Affordable and Clean Energy,” she said standards provide a practical foundation for advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, supporting a sustainable economy and addressing climate change.
She said conformity with recognised standards was particularly important for Pakistan because international acceptance of local products increasingly depended on quality and compliance.
According to Dr Batool, standards help strengthen consumer confidence in overseas markets and can support growth in trade and exports.
She said PSQCA represents Pakistan in the international standards system and works to adopt global standards, develop national standards for products, services and environmental safety, and improve awareness among industries and consumers.
Dr Batool said harmonising Pakistan’s standards with international benchmarks could help local companies compete more effectively in global markets.
At the same time, she acknowledged that a developing economy such as Pakistan still had considerable work to do in building a broad-based culture of quality.
She urged manufacturers and exporters not to view standards merely as regulatory hurdles, but as practical tools that can improve efficiency, expand market access and enhance competitiveness.
Dr Batool said stronger adoption of standards could become an important pillar of Pakistan’s economic development and contribute to a more prosperous and sustainable future.