ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) has secured the Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) with the Pacific Accreditation Cooperation, and International Accreditation Forum (ISO-9000) and Environmental Management System (ISO-14000).

Acquisition to high quality standards related to certification will boost Pakistani exports to competitive lucrative markets thanks to the European Union, which supported PNAC to attain the MNA signatory status during the 20th PAC plenary meeting held in Honolulu.

PNAC is now the 13th accreditation body of the pacific region to attain MLA signatory status in quality management system and 15th accreditation body to attain signatory status in environmental management system through the EU-funded Trade Related Technical Assistance programme being implemented by UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).

In recognition of this achievement by PNAC, the Ministry of Science and Technology and UNIDO jointed organised a ceremony here on Tuesday during which, Minister for Science and Technology Zahid Hamid and acting head of EU delegation, Pierre Mayaudon handed over the MLA signatory status certificate to the Director General of PNAC.

Acting head of EU delegation in Pakistan, Pierre Mayaudon, said that EU is the first trading partner of Pakistan with a total volume of exchanges in excess of 8.5 billion euros.

He said that the PNAC’s MLA status would actively link Pakistani institutions with quality assurance bodies in the region and beyond.

Zahid Hamid said now the country would save its foreign exchange incurred on account of accreditation from foreign accreditation bodies and this would also increase exports.