Pakistan strengthening its halal ecosystem, putting ‘religion first’ in accreditation

Photo: Islamic students arrange free food to be distributed among worshippers for breaking fast on the first day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in Karachi September 25, 2006. REUTERS/Athar Hussain 

Pakistan is not in the limelight to the degree of Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates for leadership of halal industries but it is progressing in respect to strengthening its halal ecosystem, with the recently-established Pakistan Halal Authority (PHA) given regulatory oversight of the country’s halal industries.

The Pakistan Halal Authority Act (pdf) that was gazetted in March last year paved the way for the regulation of all halal imports and exports. The role of PHA is to recommend halal standards, create a single logo to be issued to halal certification bodies (HCBs), and maintain a register of all persons and firms authorized to use the halal logo.

Working with the PHA are key stakeholders in the country’s halal ecosystem Pakistan Standard and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) that formulates halal standards, and Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) that is in closest contact with certifiers to ensure those standards are adhered to.