KARACHI: The Halal Certification, Testing, and Research Services (HCTRS), a part of the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) at the University of Karachi, has reached a significant milestone by earning an accreditation certificate from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Accreditation Center.
This achievement was celebrated during an official meeting at the HEJ Research Institute by Prof Dr Farzana Shaheen, Director of the ICCBS, University of Karachi, Prof Dr Syed Ghulam Musharraf, Incharge HCTRS, Mufti Dr Syed Arif Ali Shah, General Manager HCTRS, Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed, and Dr. Shakil Ahmed.
Prof. Dr Farzana Shaheen, Director of the ICCBS highlighted that HCTRS is Pakistan’s first fully-fledged, government-backed Halal certification body, providing a comprehensive one-window solution for Halal certification, testing, training, and research.
It is the only public-sector research institution in the country offering such Halal services and is committed to excellence and quality in laboratory operations, she said.
Prof. Dr. Shaheen further emphasized that this achievement reflects compliance with internationally recognized standards, including the GSO Standard GSO 2055-2: 2021 and OIC/SMIIC 2: 2019, solidifying HCTRS's role as a pioneering entity in Pakistan's Halal certification sector.
Previously, the Pakistan Halal Authority, operating under the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, had awarded HCTRS a registration certificate, further establishing its credibility, she mentioned.
Speaking about the Gulf Cooperation Council Accreditation Center (GAC), Prof. Dr. Syed Ghulam Musharraf described it as a globally renowned institution dedicated to fostering international collaboration, promoting the recognition of accredited conformity assessment bodies, and harmonizing accreditation practices worldwide.
It is noteworthy that HCTRS offers Halal certification services across various sectors, including food of animal origin (slaughtering, meat, and meat products), food of plant origin, beverages, processed foods, food services, export and import logistics, distribution, retail, transportation, packaging, storage, and auxiliary services.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Karachi, Prof. Dr. Khalid Iraqi, and Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, Professor Emeritus and former Federal Minister for Science and Technology, also congratulated the HCTRS team on their outstanding achievement.
