The Council of Common Interests (CCI) has decided that the implementation of food standards shall be done by provinces and the local governments, and a single harmonized standard shall prevail across the country as a national standard.
Sources disclosed that the CCI has issued its choices about implementation of the food standards at the local as well as provincial levels. This was decided in a meeting of the 41st meeting of the CCI held on 23rd December 2019, and subsequent meeting held on January 29, 2020, under the chairmanship of the Federal Minister for Science and Technology.
The CCI decisions are informed for further implementation. First, single harmonized standards shall prevail across the Pakistan as national standard/Pakistan standard. All provincial standards shall be revoked with national standards, prepared by the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA). Second, the PSQCA shall analysis the composition of Technical Committees and National Standards Committees by giving more representation to the provinces. The PFAs shall also be included in the committees.
Third, the implementation of food standards shall be done by the provinces and the local governments. Fourth, the registration/licensing shall be completed by the federal government, whereas, the returns will be shared with the provinces.
Fifth, the National Standards Steering Committee for Food Standards will be comprised by including at least two representatives from each province including Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), PSQCA, and Pakistan Business Council etc. The said committee shall be led by the DG, PSQCA. Sixth, the National Standards Steering Committee shall evaluate all the food standards to reduce the variations.
The proposals or alterations will be submitted to the related TCs for further discussions and proper disposal of the case. The committee will hold its meetings in every regional cities on rotational basis. The National Standards Steering Committee shall also build up a system for sharing of revenue (collected against registration) among the provinces.