What Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority does

Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) is the statutory national standards body of Pakistan, established by Act-VI of 1996 under the Ministry of Science & Technology. It formulates Pakistan Standards, provides conformity assessment and product certification under the PS Mark scheme covering 166 mandatory product categories, and operates pre-shipment and post-shipment inspection at all major ports of entry under Section 8 of the PSQCA Act. The authority is organized into four operational centers: the Standards Development Centre (SDC) with 14 technical divisions spanning Agriculture & Food, Automobile, Civil, Chemical, Electrotechnical, Electronics, Halal, IT & ICT, Mechanical, Textile, and Weights & Measures; the Quality Control Centre (QCC), an ISO 17025 accredited multi-functional laboratory with 8 accredited sections testing 120+ sample types across food, materials, microbiology, electrical, mechanical, and civil categories; the Technical Services Centre (TSC) in Lahore providing metallurgical testing, failure analysis, and R&D services to industrial clients; and the System Certification Centre (SCC) issuing ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000, ISO 45001, ISO 50001, and ISO 22716 management system certifications.

PSQCA monetizes through a mix of regulatory fees and transactional testing charges. Mandatory product certification under the Certification Marks Scheme generates recurring CM license fees; accredited laboratory testing is billed per sample (PKR 6,600-20,000 for mandatory items, PKR 3,000 per parameter for voluntary testing); system certification carries annual surveillance and 3-year recertification cycles; standards sales cover Pakistan Standards, ISO, IEC, OIML, and ASTM documents; and import/export inspection generates transactional fees at sea ports, dry ports, and airports. Distribution runs through a 10-location physical office network across Pakistan, two transactional digital portals (CM License Verification and Standards Sales), and direct regional liaison with industry associations. The authority maintains international affiliations with ISO, IEC, OIML, ASTM, WTO/TBT, SMIC, SARSO, and IECEE, with ISO 17025 accreditation channeled through the Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC). Leadership rests with Director General Dr. Sayeda Zia Batool, appointed 2024, reporting through the Secretary and Federal Minister for Science & Technology.

Name

Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority

Legal name

Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority

Website

https://psqca.com.pk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Pakistan's statutory national standards body, certifying 166 mandatory product categories via the PS Mark scheme, accrediting 8 ISO 17025 laboratories, and operating testing and inspection across 10 domestic offices and all major ports of entry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Standards & Conformity Assessment Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Safety & Quality Scheme Certifications (GFSI Programs) (AFALAMAI), Food Safety Certification Bodies (ISO 22000, FSSC 22000, BRCGS, SQF) (AFALAAAC), Food Testing, Laboratory Oversight & Method Standards (HLAJAEAF)

Keywords

• National standards body
• Conformity assessment services
• Product certification testing
• Laboratory testing services
• Management system certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Karachi

HQ country

Pakistan

HQ region

Asia

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Product Certification Fees: Fees for Certification Marks (CM) license issuance, renewal, and conformity assessment for mandatory products. The certification process involves application review, testing, and surveillance audits.
2. Laboratory Testing Fees: Testing fees for product samples under regulatory and commercial testing schemes. Fees range from PKR 6,600 to 20,000 depending on product type (2017 schedule).
3. System Certification Fees: Certification fees for ISO management system standards (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000, ISO 45001, ISO 22716) including initial certification, surveillance, and recertification.
4. Standards Sales: Sale of Pakistan Standards, ISO standards, IEC standards, and technical documentation through the Standards Sales Section.
5. Import/Export Inspection Fees: Pre-shipment and post-shipment inspection services at sea ports, dry ports, and airports under Section 8 of PSQCA Act 1996.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

PSQCA is Pakistan's national standards body that formulates Pakistan Standards and adopts international standards, issues mandatory product certification under the PS Mark Certification Marks Scheme for 166 product categories, performs ISO 17025 accredited laboratory testing across food, materials, textiles, microbiology, water, electrical, mechanical, and civil domains, delivers metallurgical testing and technical services to metal industries, provides ISO management system certifications (9001, 14001, 22000, 45001, 50001, 22716), and conducts pre-shipment and post-shipment import/export inspections.

Product overview

PSQCA operates as Pakistan's National Standards Body established under Act-VI of 1996, offering an integrated portfolio of standardization and quality assurance services. The organization is structured around five main service pillars: (1) Standard Development Centre (SDC) which develops and maintains 5,584 Pakistan Standards across 14 technical divisions; (2) Conformity Assessment division operating the PS Mark Certification Marks Scheme for 166 mandatory products; (3) Quality Control Centre (QCC) providing accredited laboratory testing services for food, electrical, mechanical and civil materials; (4) Technical Services Centre (TSC) offering specialized metallurgical testing and R&D services; and (5) System Certification Centre (SCC) providing ISO management system certifications. Supporting services include Import/Export inspection, WTO/TBT representation, voluntary certification, and inspection agency registration. The organization also maintains a digital CM License Verification portal for public product certification verification.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certification Marks Scheme (PS Mark)
• Pakistan Standards Development
• Quality Control Centre (QCC) Laboratory Testing
• Technical Services Centre (TSC) Metallurgical Testing
• System Certification Centre (SCC) ISO Management System Certification
• Import & Export Inspection
• Voluntary Certification Division
• Standards Sales
• CM License Verification Portal
• Registration of Inspection Agencies

Quantifiable outcome

• 5,584 Pakistan Standards formulated and 16,906 international standards adopted
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and regional.

• ISO (International Organization for Standardization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSQCA as Pakistan's national standards body holds membership in ISO, enabling adoption of international standards and participation in global standards development. PSQCA has adopted 16,906 ISO standards across various sectors.
• IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSQCA maintains affiliation with IEC for electrotechnical standards adoption. IEC standards are adopted across electrical, electronics, and related divisions for product certification.
• OIML (International Organization for Legal Metrology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSQCA holds membership in OIML for legal metrology standards, supporting Weights & Measures division activities and calibration requirements.
• WTO/TBT (World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPSQCA as National Standards Body is represented in WTO on TBT agreements, participating in international trade policy discussions and ensuring standards do not create unnecessary barriers to trade.
• SMIC (Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional affiliation for cooperation in standards development, particularly for halal standards and mutual recognition of conformity assessment.
• SARSO (Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution)regionalStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional affiliation with SARSO for cooperation in standards development, testing methodologies, and conformity assessment practices.
• PNAC (Pakistan National Accreditation Council)coreTechnology or IntegrationPSQCA laboratories receive ISO 17025 accreditation through PNAC, ensuring international recognition of testing and calibration competence.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization (SASO): Saudi Arabia's national standards body and PSQCA's regional partner through SMIC. Operates product conformity assessment, testing laboratories, and metrology services, with particular focus on halal and consumer product standards for the Gulf market. Comparable mandate and structure to PSQCA.
• Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS): India's national standards body operating under the BIS Act 2016, providing mandatory product certification, voluntary certification, and laboratory testing. Directly comparable to PSQCA as a South Asian national standards authority with similar statutory mandate, certification schemes, and affiliated laboratories across multiple sectors.
• South African Bureau of Standards (SABS): South Africa's national standards body providing standards development, product certification, and laboratory testing services. Comparable to PSQCA as a developing-market national standards authority with multi-sector testing capabilities and ISO-accredited laboratory operations.
• Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI): Bangladesh's national standards body and a regional PSQCA partner through SARSO. Operates mandatory and voluntary certification, testing laboratories, and metrology services for the Bangladeshi market, mirroring PSQCA's structure and serving a similar function in a neighboring country with comparable regulatory requirements.
• Badan Standardisasi Nasional (BSN Indonesia): Indonesia's national standardization agency responsible for developing and promoting Indonesian National Standards (SNI). Operates similar functions to PSQCA including mandatory SNI certification for specific products, serving the world's largest Muslim-majority market with overlapping halal standards focus.

Others

• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection, and certification company. Operates in Pakistan offering commercial laboratory testing and certification services that overlap with PSQCA's voluntary testing and system certification offerings, particularly for export-oriented manufacturers.
• Bureau Veritas: International testing, inspection, and certification company with presence in Pakistan. Competes with PSQCA across voluntary ISO certification, product testing, and import/export inspection services for multinational clients operating in or exporting from Pakistan.
• TÜV SÜD: Global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) company operating in Pakistan offering ISO system certification and product testing. Competes with PSQCA's System Certification Centre for voluntary commercial certifications, particularly for export-oriented manufacturers seeking international accreditation.
• Intertek: Global quality assurance and testing company with operations in Pakistan. Competes with PSQCA for commercial product testing, ISO management system certification, and pre-shipment inspection services, particularly for international brands sourcing from or selling to Pakistan.

Broad incumbents

• BSI Group (British Standards Institution): The UK's national standards body and one of the world's largest commercial certification firms. While PSQCA focuses on Pakistan's domestic regulatory mandate, BSI operates globally with commercial training, certification, and standards services. Comparable in standards development function but operates at much larger scale with global customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PSQCAheadoffice
• Facebookfacebook.com/PSQCA.headoffice

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority