Case Study- Competence of Laboratories in Pakistan

The significance of access to credible testing and calibration laboratories to support trade development and access to foreign markets is well illustrated in a recently conducted programme for trade related technical assistance in Pakistan. This involved inputs from a number of agencies over the period 2004-2007, including a number of specific activities supported by UNIDO which were targeted at developing the capacity and competence of key testing and calibration laboratories and having their competence confirmed through accreditation by a well established foreign accreditation body. While developing domestic testing capabilities, the UNIDO inputs also included parallel upgrading of the capacity of Pakistan's national accreditation body, to ensure the ongoing availability of a domestic resource to demonstrate the competence of Pakistan's testing and calibration services.

The specific needs for competent testing and calibration were first established through various assessments of constraints faced by Pakistan's exporters in relation to supply side proof of conformity and market connectivity issues. These assessments included specific testing needs associated with:

• Pakistan's agro-based exports and sanitary and phyto-sanitary compliance (conducted as a joint World Bank-UNIDO initiative);

• Trade related challenges facing exporters in Pakistan by 157 local firms. These included a focus on sectors such as textiles, leather, agro-based processing and fisheries (conducted as a joint initiative of UNIDO and the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics): and

• A survey of the compliance issues affecting enterprise clusters in the Punjab province of Pakistan. This covered 195 firms in sectors producing fans, cutlery, textiles and garments, mangos and tangerines. It included specific needs associated with testing, certification, calibration and CE marking, labelling and branding (conducted jointly by UNIDO and the Small and Medium Enterprise Authority).

Exporters in Pakistan had historically relied heavily on foreign testing of their products to achieve international acceptance of their compliance. This was costly and time consuming and particularly for small exporters.

The testing capacity building achievements in Pakistan resulted in:

• Strengthening the metrology infrastructure through development support of the National Physical and Standards Laboratory. This included upgrading of its calibration services and their international traceability for mass, volume, length, temperature, pressure and electrical quantities;

• Upgrading 19 key testing laboratories to achieve compliance with ISO/IEC 17025, including facilitation of their access to certified reference materials and 35 international proficiency testing schemes. The focus was placed on microbiological, chemical, textile, leather, and electrical testing; and

• Successful accreditation of 18 of these laboratories by NA (Norwegian Accreditation).

The ultimate indicator of success in this project is summarised in the reported statement of account provided by UNIDO and its partners that

" Internationally accredited laboratories in Pakistan cater now for testing requirements of 85% of all exports"