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3rd Meeting of the Board of Governors of Pakistan Halal Authority was held under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Science & Technology, Senator Shibli Faraz at the committee room of MoST dated 30-06-2021 at 11:30 AM.

Members of the meeting were:-

·         Mr. Nadeem Irshad Kayani, Secretary MoST

·         Mr. Akhtar A. Bughio, Director General, PHA

·         Dr. Nouman Rashid Siddique, Director Food sciences, PARC

·         Dr. Khurshid Ahmed (AHC), M/o National Food Security & Research

·         Syed Mushahid Hussain, M/o Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony

·         Waqas Azeem, DG (Trade Policy), M/o Commerce

·         Ms. Ismat Gul Khattak, DG PNAC

·         Mr. Saif Ullah Janbaz, JS ICT, M/o Interior

·         Mr. Syed Hassan Mahmood, JS, M/o Industries & Production

·         Kamran Rehman Khan, JS, Finance Division

·         Chief Secretary, Punjab

·         Chief Secretary, KPK

·         Chief Secretary, GB

·         Director General, PSQCA

·         Mr. Athar Sultan, FPCCI

·         Secretary Live stock Punjab

·         Shabbir Lakhani, Shariah Scholor, Karachi

·         Secretary Food, Sindh

·         Secretary Food, Balochistan

 

Federal Minister for S&T welcomed all the participants of the meeting & said that Pakistan can become active player in global Halal trillion dollars market through its effective implementation regime. He highlighted that Pakistan has a nominal share in this emerging market which is mostly dominated by non-Muslims. Federal Minister emphasized that the PHA Mission must be facilitation and promotion of trade and commerce rather than collecting money, huge potential of Halal food market can be explored and avenues of exports to Malaysia, Europe & Gulf countries.

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2nd meeting of the Executive Committee of Pakistan Halal Authority (PHA) under the chairmanship of Secretary Ministry of Science & Technology Dr. Arshad Mehmood was held on 11th March, 2021 in the committee room of Ministry of Science & Technology.

Members of the meeting were:-

• Mr. Akhtar A. Bughio, Director General (PHA)
• Mr. Abdul Aleem Memon, Director General (PSQCA)
• Mr. Saifullah Janbaz, Deputy Secretary (ICT)
• Ch. Muhammad Afzal, Deputy Director (ICT)
• Dr. Tahir Mansoory, Professor of Shariah (IIU)
• Mr. Nouman Rashid Siddique, Principal Scientific Officer (PARC)

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1st SLAUGHTER HOUSES CONFERENCE was held at Ministry of Science & Technology,
on 10th February, 2021 at 12:00 PM in Committee Room of Ministry of Science and Technology under the chairmanship of Federal Minister for Science & Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain. Participants of Pakistan Halal Authority, Animal Quarantine Department, Livestock & Dairy Development Department, Representatives of Slaughter Houses, Exporters and Businessman of meat sector attended the meeting physically/ Zoom.
Federal Minister for Science & Technology, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, welcomed the participants of the meeting and informed that Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) has set up Pakistan Halal Authority (PHA) for the purpose to promote exports & trade in Halal articles and processes, as meat sector is one of the key area therefore, this conference on Slaughter Houses is being held to address the issues faced by Business Community and Slaughter Houses.

Federal Minister in his opening remarks said that:-
• Pakistan Halal Authority is ready to facilitate Slaughter Houses for business growth.
• We shall target trade with China and GCC countries where there is big scope of meat exports.
• Opinion of experts will prevail to capture the Halal market worldwide as just Halal stamp is not enough for promotion of exports & trade and advised them to make action plans and send it to DG, PHA for further deliberations.
• We shall work also on animal vaccine and animal food as it is big business area opportunity.
• We are ready to collaborate with Federal & Provincial Govt. to enhance trade.
• We need to build Public-Private collaborations explore business area opportunities.
Director General Pakistan Halal Authority, Mr. Akhtar A. Bughio, informed that the worth of Halal trade in international market approximately of trillion dollars. Mostly, non-Muslims countries are playing leading role in Halal trade. Pakistan, despite being a Muslim country, has a nominal share in this emerging market. Hence, the proposal for establishment of Pakistan Halal Authority (PHA) was initiated, to establish a regulatory regime in this field, with a view to establish the Halal credentials of Pakistani products. The scope of the Halal sector also covers a wide range of items such as food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food supplements and toiletries etc.
DG, PHA enquired about Certification status including Halal, ISO and other Quality Certifications.

Queries by Meat Exporters & Traders:
• Slaughtering of animals are technical matters which should be controlled under Government Authority, Authority should be responsible for Halal Certification & technical matters for imports & exports.
• There should be single certification authority for all materials such as food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, food supplements and toiletries etc.
• Participants complained that one Private Company is charging from Exporters @ Rs.2.85 per K.G for Saudi Arabia exports which is not acceptable.
• Every country demands its own certification.
• Single certificate should be valid for every country.
• Prices and taxes should be minimized in order to increase exports.
• We should sit together and talk about all our problems.
• SFDA had stopped our shipments because we have not registered with them, SFDA wants all companies to register individually, and PHA should look into this matter.
• We should have standards regarding slaughter houses, and at least one government representative or veterinarian should be present in all slaughter houses in order to monitor them as 40 years old policies are implemented by AQD, they shall be updated.
• PHA representative should be present at all four stations to monitor, where slaughter houses are located.
• Shariah and Halal Authority representatives should be present in all slaughter houses.

Response of DG, PHA:
• DG PHA assured that all slaughter houses will be registered and certified from PHA as it is Government authority and responsible for ascertaining the Halal Status of the products, process and services maintained and monitored at all time in local market as well as products being imported/ exported.
• DG PHA briefed that Pakistan Single Window is already under process for facilitation of business industry, which is introduced by Government to remove duplication of checks for trade & promotion.
• Participants were informed that Certifications are International requirements and no country can compete in Global market without compliance to importing country requirements, it is high time for Pakistan Business to compete and raise Standards of Pakistani products and services.
• PHA has initiated MoU/ MRA with SFDA and looking forward with other countries to resolve the issues of Halal industry on priority to promote export opportunities.

DG (PHA) extended full cooperation from PHA on concerns of Slaughter Houses and assured that their issues will be resolved on priorities, he also advised all the participants to send their proposals for enhancement of meat exports and up-gradation of Slaughter Houses.

1st meeting of Halal Certification for COVID-19 vaccine was held under the chairmanship of Director General, Pakistan Halal Authority (PHA), on 4th February, 2021 at 12:00 pm in Committee Room of Ministry of Science and Technology. Members of the meeting were:
1- Dr. Obaid Ullah, Director Pharmaceutical Research & Evaluation, Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan
2- Mr. Hafiz Abdul Qudoos, Director (R&R), M/o Religious Affairs & Intern Faith Harmony
3- Dr. Inamullah, Director General (Research), Council of Islamic Ideological

Following are the key points of the meeting:-
1- The Covid-19 vaccination used in Pakistan is free of any Haram ingredients?
2- Are there any Haram ingredients in Covid-19 vaccination being used in Pakistan?
3- If vaccination is not free from Haram ingredients what do Islamic Shariah Scholar point of view on it, is there any alternative Covid-19 vaccine available free of Haram ingredients?
4- Whether the current vaccination used in Pakistan shall be allowed to use from Islamic point of view?

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