LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has requested the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) to stop the ongoing crackdown on sale of unregistered cosmetic and food products. In a letter, LCCI acting President Khawaja Khawar Rashid, Vice President Zeeshan Khalil and members of the Executive Committee said that PSQCA sudden and abrupt raids, requiring stoppage of sale of unregistered cosmetic and food products, were detrimental to economic growth. “Manufacturers are now required to pay a substantial amount of Rs 11,000 as registration fee to the PSQCA for each product, which is a very high,” they said, adding: “An additional 0.1 percent on the quarterly sales value has also been demanded by PSQCA, which is beyond comprehension.” The letter said that the PSQCA had few designated labs and limited technical staff, which could causes considerable delay in the registration process. “Imposition of fine is not only detrimental to economic growth, but it also breeds corruption. There is a need to revisit the registration process, which should be made simpler, transparent. There is need to have more testing laboratories on PSQCR panel. The authority needs to have more technical staff for timely testing of products,” the LCCI office-bearers said. The acting president further said that raids on superstores had created panic among the business circles, besides inflicting large-scale financial losses. “The LCCI, in larger national interest, supports standardisation of products by the PSQCA; however, this must not be done at the cost of the business community,” They said that GDP growth would be badly affected, besides rendering irreparable loss to the retail sector by dint of ongoing raids. They said that action against local cosmetics and food manufacturers will discourage investors. They said that private sector of the country should be given breathing time. “If such an action is warranted, it should be done after due consultation with stakeholders, and adequate time should be given before taking punitive action.” The LCCI office-bearers demanded the government to take cognisance of the situation and order corrective measures to have positive results. Meanwhile, the PSQCA Monday sealed production units of three unregistered and illegal paint factories. According to a spokesman for the PSQCA, the factories were sealed for working without PSQCA licences. The PSQCA task force also served notices to other shops over selling stock of illegal companies. PSQCA DG Khalid Siddique ordered the task force to continue the action against illegal and unregistered manufacturers of paints and said that special teams had been formed to check unregistered companies. He said that no illegal brand would be permitted to continue business. He said that people should also avoid purchasing products of illegal and unlicensed brands. Published in Daily Times, March 20th 2018.