‘Halal business being regulated’

LAHORE

Punjab Halal Development Agency (PHDA) will play a significant role in growth of the Halal business sector of Pakistan, said Ms Asmat Gull Khatak, Director General Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC), Ministry of Science and Technology.

Addressing a seminar on Punjab Halal Development Agency’s (PHDA) accreditation by PNAC, she said that after the accreditation, which was done by first ever public sector company, PHDA would help traders in receiving their share in international Halal market to strengthen the national economy.

PHDA Chairman, Justice Khalil-ur-Rehman Khan stated the authority was striving to regulate the Halal sector of Pakistan and accreditation of PHDA was a step towards achieving the objectives of its establishment by the government of Punjab. He added that all Halal businesses could obtain Halal certification from PHDA to certify their products are Halal. He also requested consumers to insist on purchasing only Halal certified articles, food and none food products, and also give preference to Halal certified restaurants and hotels.

He urged the manufacturers and producers to utilise Riba (interest) free finances for producing and processing food and non-food products. He explained that the process or the product may be Shariah-compliant but the product or process will not be Halal if the finance utilised is infested with interest. He emphasised that IslamicbBanks should come forward to provide Halal finances to the producers and manufacturers.

He also acknowledged the efforts and support by stakeholders and USAID Punjab Enabling Environment Project (PEEP) for supporting PHDA in achieving the milestone of accreditation from PNAC. Stakeholders from Halal industry participated in the ceremony to congratulate PHDA and also highlighted the issues being faced by the industry.

USAID, through its Punjab Enabling Environment Project, has collaborated with PHDA to provide in-kind and technical assistance to help strengthen the human and institutional capacity of the organisation and improve the overall business environment for increased investments in the Halal meat segment of the livestock sector. USAID PEEP is a five-year, $15 million project which will improve the business environment for the dairy, livestock and horticulture sub-sectors by promoting policy and regulatory reforms through private sector-led advocacy. The reforms are expected to spur investment in the sub-sectors, leading to fast-paced employment generation.