EDB drafting 'chemical vision 2020'

Engineering Development Board (EDB) is drafting 'Chemical Vision 2020' for the development and progress of chemical industry. This will also contain an action plan for implementation. The vision will be ready by mid January 2008. This was revealed by Zahid J Yaqub, General Manager (Policy) EDB in a meeting here on Wednesday with the stakeholders of the chemical industry.
He said the Board wants guidance and inputs of the industry as this vision would be made and owned by the industry. General Manager added that in order to achieve this goal, EDB had commenced consultations with the industry and organised series of meetings with stakeholders at here and Karachi.
He divulged further that a day workshop would be organised at Islamabad in October. Zahid Yaqub said a road map with data such as energy consumption, tax paid, export figures, etc was necessary to make progress in preparations of the Vision 2020.
He said EDB intended to initiate a survey and would send teams to manufacturing units soon for collection of data. Yaqub to the industry to extend necessary co-operation as it would be beneficial for them. He assured that the data would not be shared with any other agency.
The package of suggestions made by the representatives of Chemical Industry on the occasion remained pertinent to tariff protection, availability of skilled manpower, infrastructure development, improved industry university linkages, reduction in cost of doing businesses in Pakistan, curbs on smuggling, check on under invoicing and awareness of the problems of the industry.
The meeting decided to appoint Chaudhry M Sadiq, Director, Descon Chemical Ltd, as focal person of industry for preparation of Vision 2020. It also decided to form chemical manufacturing association in order to provide a platform to the industry for taking up issues with the government. A three members committee headed by Mian Mohammad Adrees of Sitara Chemical was formed to complete formalities in this regard.
The meeting was attended by Mian Mohammad Adrees, CEO, Sitara Chemical, Umar Iqbal, Technical Director, Nimir Chem Pak Ltd, Masood Khaliq, Olympia Chemicals, Murtaza Chaudhry, CEO, Pyvo Chemical (Pvt) Ltd, and S.M Tariq, Director, Sandal Dyestuff Ind Ltd, Sh Tanveer H Zafar H.R Manager, Rehmat Nazir Ryon Pvt Ltd, Sheikhupura, M Sadiq, Director, Descon Chemicals Ltd, Brigadier M Jamil (Retd), Faras Combine Marketing IPC, Lahore, Shabaz Anwar, Wah Nobel Group of Companies, Asif Latif Lone, Ali Akbar Group, Abdul Statar Khatri, Ittehad Chemicals Ltd, Colonel Sahid Rafiq (Retd), T&N Pakistan, Mooz Mahmood, Jotun Powder Coatings.