Pakistan’s BRAINS Director Calls for Stronger Global Halal Integrity at UIN Bukittinggi
BUKITTINGGI, INDONESIA — The global halal industry needs to move beyond administrative compliance towards supply-chain governance that safeguards ethics, product safety, consumer protection and accountability, said Dr. Shehzad Orakzai, Director of the Office of Research Innovation and Commercialisation at BRAINS Institute in Peshawar, Pakistan.
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| Dr. Shehzad Orakzai, director of the Office of Research Innovation and Commercialisation at BRAINS Institute in Peshawar, Pakistan. |
He made the remarks at the 3rd International Conference on Magister of Islamic Law (ICMIL) 2026, organised by the Master’s Programme in Islamic Law at Universitas Islam Negeri/ State Islamic University (UIN) Sjech M. Djamil Djambek Bukittinggi, Indonesia.
Speaking on Monday (Oct 5) at the conference, themed “Waqf and Halal Muamalah in the Digital Era: Reactualising Maqashid Syari’ah for Global Mashlahah”, Dr. Shehzad presented his paper, “Reconceptualising Halal Integrity in Global Convenience Retailing”.
He argued that halal certification should not be treated merely as a compliance procedure. Instead, it should form part of a broader ethical supply-chain governance framework capable of addressing the complexities of global trade.
“Halal integrity must shift from being a specialised niche feature to becoming a comprehensive framework for safety, consumer protection and supply-chain accountability worldwide,” he said.
Dr. Shehzad proposed using Maqasid al-Shariah, the higher objectives of Islamic law, as a governance matrix. Three principles, he said, could provide the foundation: hifz ad-din, or the protection of religion, to ensure the authenticity of Islamic requirements and procedural transparency; hifz an-nafs, the protection of life, to safeguard product safety and quality; and hifz al-mal, the protection of wealth, to protect consumers from fraud and ensure fair choices.
Such an approach would broaden the meaning of halal integrity beyond the simple question of whether a product is permissible for consumption.
It would also encompass how products are processed, stored, distributed, traced and ultimately accounted for to consumers.
Strengthening International Partnerships
Dr. Shehzad’s participation in the UIN Bukittinggi forum was also part of the university’s efforts, through its International Affairs Office, to expand and strengthen international partnerships.
The involvement of a specialist from BRAINS Institute provided an opportunity for academic exchange while bringing Islamic perspectives into dialogue with emerging approaches to global halal-industry governance.
UIN Bukittinggi rector Prof.Dr. Silfia Hanani welcomed the participation of international academics and experts at the conference. She said engagement with partners from different countries was important in expanding the university’s academic networks and strengthening its contribution to addressing global challenges.
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| Prof. Dr. Silfia Hanani |
UIN Bukittinggi’s postgraduate director, Prof. Dr. Nunu Burhanuddin, also welcomed the international participation. He said forums such as ICMIL offered an important platform for connecting Islamic legal scholarship with contemporary developments, including the economy, digital technology and the halal industry.
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| Prof. Dr. Nunu Burhanudin |
International experts, he added, could enrich the academic environment at the postgraduate school. Exchanges with scholars from abroad should not end with conferences, but should lead to joint research, publications and other academic collaborations.
An Increasingly Complex Supply Chain
Dr. Shehzad identified several challenges facing the development of a global halal ecosystem. One is the lack of uniformity in halal standards and regulations across countries. Differences in definitions, procedures and certification authorities can create uncertainty for both businesses and consumers.
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| A slide presentation delivered by Dr.Shehzad during the international conference. |
Maintaining halal integrity across supply chains can also be costly. Dedicated transport fleets, segregated storage facilities and regular third-party audits require significant investment. As global distribution networks become longer and more complex, the risks of fraudulent certification and gaps in product traceability are also growing.
Traceability from production to the final consumer is therefore becoming increasingly important in maintaining public trust, he said. Digital technology could form part of the solution. Integrated tracking systems can allow information about a product’s origin, processing, storage and distribution to be verified more transparently.
The discussion effectively places halal within a broader framework of governance — one that connects religious values with human safety, protection of wealth and public trust. For UIN Bukittinggi, the conference also illustrates that internationalisation is not built solely through institutional agreements. It is equally shaped by the exchange of knowledge and ideas.
Dr.Shehzad’s participation from Pakistan provides another avenue for the university to widen its academic network and connect with emerging thinking and practices in the global halal industry. (IRWANDI)
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