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The chairman of the Shariah Committee of the HFC Halal Certification Agency attended the Pakistan Halal Certification Standard PS3733 meeting earlier this month.
2025-05-15
Maulana Zeesha Ali, Chairperson of the HFC Halal Certification Bodies Committee, attended a meeting organized by the Center for Halal Assurance (CeHA) at the Maisonette Hotel in Lahore, Pakistan on November 10, 2018, with the aim of reshaping the necessary conditions for meeting Halal food requirements in Pakistan in accordance with Halal guidelines and Pakistan Halal Certification Standard PS3733.
The conference was organized by Centre for Halal Assurance (CeHA), a Private Limited Company (Pvt. Ltd) registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) with its head office in Lahore (Pakistan) and branches in various local and international locations.
CeHA operates under the guidance of its Board of Directors and a strong Halal Advisory Committee and Halal Coordinator, which include more than 20 Halal experts from around the world.
The company collaborates with different law schools to promote halal consumption globally by providing the expertise and services of world-renowned, experienced and capable halal regulatory scholars, aiming to provide the industry with complete halal product and halal certification solutions.
CeHA brings unique qualifications and experience in the Halal field and technology. CeHA’s comprehensive research team, comprised of qualified nutritionists, food microbiologists, and technicians, sets the team apart.
“This has been a fantastic learning experience for me, and we’ve been able to establish valuable connections with the halal industry through this conference,” concluded Zeesha Ali, who also briefed some of the organizers and participants on HFC’s mission to “ensure that all our stakeholders around the world adhere to halal standards.”
Experts make conference speeches on halal food certification and its standards
A total of four conference speeches were delivered by the following persons:
1. Mufti Suhaib Ashraf (Member of the Legal Affairs Council of the Halal Assurance Center CeHA)
2. Mufti Muaz Ashraf (Executive Director of the Halal Assurance Center CeHA and Director of the Shariah Center)
3. Mufti Muhammad Qasim (Halal Regulatory Consultant/Deputy Manager of Veritas, Halal Food Certification Authority)
4. Mr. Tariq Qamar (Operations Manager, Veritas). Veritas is a leading global testing, inspection, and certification organization, recognized and trusted by most national and international organizations.
Mufti Suhaib Ashraf outlined the following:
1. The importance of halal;
2. A global perspective on the halal industry (the concepts of halal and non-halal are not limited to food or cosmetics. Halal tourism, halal commerce, and halal finance are also emerging);
3. Terms related to the halal industry;
4. Halal slaughtering rules.
Mr. Mufti Muaz Ashraf’s speech was divided into the following points:
1. The seven basic prohibitions of halal;
2. Distinguishing between halal and non-halal animals;
3. Halal diet;
4. Sensitive raw materials used in pharmaceuticals and bakeries;
5. Sensitive issues regarding halal;
6. Halal regulations on alcohol, artificial meat and genetically modified foods;
Mr. Mufti Qasim
Overview of Pakistan PS 3733
Halal certification standards.
Mr. Tariq Qamar explained the steps involved in halal certification:
1. Top management must make a commitment;
2. Necessary preparation procedures;
3. A prevention system from farm to table;
4. Risk assessment;
5. Audit and verification;
6. Corrective measures for major non-conforming and minor non-conforming products;
7. Avoid fraud and deception;
8. Food contamination (partially halal);
9. Halal culture. Tariq Qamar said it is essential that the entire organization, from the bottom to the top management, should have a sense of responsibility for ensuring halal-certified food.
The PS3733 halal certification standard will soon be implemented for imported food
During the meeting and breaks, Maulana Zeeshan Ali, Chairperson of the Shariah Committee of the Halal Certification Authority (HFC), had the opportunity to have some discussions with Mufti Muaz, Mufti Qasim, and Mufti Suhaib. He further confirmed with the experts and scholars present that in a few months, the Pakistani government will seal its borders and that only products that comply with Pakistan's PS3733-2016 Halal certification standards will be allowed to be imported.
In addition, packaging audits are also very important, just like product audits; for egg testing, candled eggs are prohibited because they contain blood.
In response to Pakistan's impending border closure on all international exporters that do not obtain PS3733 halal certification, HFC is considering providing certification services to suppliers that meet the PS3733 halal certification standards. The HFC Shariah Committee has halal law experts from Pakistan who are well versed in the PS3733 halal certification standards, thereby helping domestic export companies maximize the benefits of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) trade. At that time, Pakistan's nearly 200 million Muslim consumers will also become another emerging halal food market along the "Belt and Road" initiative.
HFC Shariah Chairman Attended the Session about Pakistan National Halal Certificate Standards PS3733
HFC Shariah Committee Chairman Maulana Zeesha Ali attended the session“UNDERSTANDING HALAL FOOD REQUIREMENTS IN THE LIGHT OF SHARIAH GUIDELINES & PAKISTAN STANDARD PS 3733”hold by center for Halal Assurance on 10th Nov. 2018 at Maisonette Hotel, Lahore in Pakistan.
This session was organized by CeHA Center for Halal Assurance. (CeHA) isaPrivate Limited Company (Pvt. Ltd) registered with Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP).
It has its head office in Lahore (Pakistan) and sub offices at various local and international locations.
The CeHA runs under its Board of directors and the guidance of its strong Sharia Advisory Board and Sharia Coordinators comprising more than twenty Sharia Experts from across the globe, working with different Islamic Seminaries. The company has been established to promote Halal consumption globally by offering the expertise and services of the worldly renown, experienced and competent Sharia Scholars, who aims to provide complete Halal solutions to the industry.
We bring in a unique blend of relevant qualification and experience in this field of Sharia and technical areas. CeHA comprehensive research team, consisting of qualified Nutritionists, Food Microbiologists Technologists make us stand apart.
“This was a very good learning experience for me and through this session we have some very important contacts in the HALAL industry”concluded by Zeesha Ali. He also introduced HFC to some the organizers and to the participants as well.
Total four sessions were delivered by following speakers:
1. Mufti Suhaib Ashraf (Member of Shariah Board at Center for Halal Assurance CeHA)
2. Mufti Muaz Ashraf (Managing Director and Director of the Shariah Center for Halal Assurance CeHA)
3.Mufti Muhammad Qasim(Shariah Advisor/Deputy Manager Halal Food Certification Bureau Veritas)
4.Mr. Tariq Qamar(Manager Operations at Bureau Veritas) Bureau Veritas is aglobal leader in Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC). Bureau Veritas is recognized and accredited by major national and international organizations.
Session # 1 By Mufti Suhaib Ashraf
Mufti Suhaib covered the following outline:
I. Importance of Halal in the Light of Quran and Sunnah
II.Halal industry global perspective (The concept of Halal and haram is not limited to the food or cosmetics. Now halal tourism, halal business, halal finance concepts are emerging as well)
III.Halal industry terminologies
IV.Islamic Slaughtering
Session # 2 By Mufti Muaz Ashraf
Mufti Muaz covered the following outline:
I .7 Basic prohibitions
II. Halal and Haram Animals
III. Shariah Dietary Law
IV. Critical Ingredients used in medicines and Bakery
V. Critical Halal issues
VI. Shariah Rulings for alcohol and artificial meat and GM Food
Session # 3ByMufti Qasim
Mufti Qasim covered the following outline：
PS 3733 standards overview.
Session # 4ByMr. Tariq Qamar
Mr. Tariq covered the following outline by describing the following steps for certification:
I .Top Management (Must be committed)
II. Pre Requisite Program
III. Preventive System (From farm to fork)
IV. Risk Assessment
V . Verification (Audit)
VI. Corrective Actions (major non conformity and
minor non conformity)
VII. Free from Fraud
VIII. Food Contamination (Partial Halal)
IX. Culture (Mr. Tariq Qamar said it is very necessary that whole organization from poen to top management must understand that they are responsible for halal assurance)
Some Important Learning Outcomes:
During the session and during the Breaks HFC Shariah Committee Chairman Zeeshan Ali got a chance to have some discussions with Mufti Muaz, Mufti Qasim and Mufti Suhaib, and got some very important issues as following.
1.In few months Pakistan government is going to seal its borders and no import will be allowed until it follows PS3733-2016 standard. So for Chinese companies want to export Pakistan we may follow PS.
2.Just like product Audit its packaging audit is also very important.
3.For eggs we must also check that candling eggs are not used. Which contains blood.
As Pakistan is going to seal its border for all the international exporters until they got certified as per PS3733, HFC is considering to offer certification as per PS3733 standards, as we have Shariah experts from Pakistan who are well aware of these standards, so our clients can get maximum benefit from CPEC (China–Pakistan Economic Corridor) trade, and Pakistan will also become the new potential international halal marketing for China exportation suppliers.