Govt Pays Private Labs Rs. 50,000 Per Test Instead of Reviving PSQCA

The Senate Standing Committee on Science and Technology on Tuesday sharply criticised the country’s testing and quality control system while the government pays private labs Rs. 50,000 per test instead of reviving Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA).

During a meeting chaired by Senator Kamil Ali Agha, the Secretary for Science and Technology admitted that products cleared by PSQCA often require re-testing abroad.

Committee members questioned why public facilities exist if industries are forced to rely on expensive private testing.

They said PSQCA has no on-spot fine authority and must route violation cases through magistrates which weakens enforcement. The committee demanded full records of regulatory action, including how many factories were sealed and how many penalties were imposed for non-compliance.

Solar panel quality also came under scrutiny, with lawmakers complaining of repeated defects and manufacturing faults. The chair directed immediate completion of modern testing equipment installation and commissioning. Officials confirmed that the Pakistan–Korea Solar Module Testing Laboratory is now fully operational and invited committee members to inspect it.

The committee concluded that weak regulatory oversight and poor quality control are damaging investor confidence and undermining industrial standards across the country.