Senate Standing Committee on Defence Production on Tuesday called upon the government to impose ban import of defence equipments, both used in combatant and non-combatant environments with a view to promote the local defence production industry. The suggestion was floated by the Committee, which met here with Senator Lieutenant General Abdul Qayyum (Retd) in the chair at the Parliament House.
The committee, while recommending the government to ban import of defence equipment from abroad, also called for a new legislation if necessary to disallow the import. It further noted that the local industry of defence production should be promoted and its capacity be enhanced. The panel also directed the ministry and its units to ensure merit-based inductions of scientists, engineers, skilled and semi skilled workforce, besides undertaking up-gradation of all technical institutions for training quality manpower for domestic and overseas employment.
It also observed that there was a need to undertake aggressive marketing to promote sale of commercial products both inland and abroad and enhance exports to reduce the burden of defence budget on the national exchequer. The committee proposed to evolve foolproof systems to eradicate corruption in mega defence deals and proposed administrative, legal and financial reforms to enhance efficiency of all production units, besides ensuring security of the defence installations as top priority.
In his observations, the chairman of the committee stated: " Our priority should be indigenization, optimum use of our existing capacities, commercialisation and modernisation to keep pace with fast moving defence technology." He said defence production and arms trade history was as old as the war itself, adding that our pursuits for defence related research and development should be in tendum with other domestic centers of excellence related to science and technology.
He noted that today Pakistan has a very potent defence production capability, which is not only catering to the needs of our 600,000 strong standing army to a great extent but also enabling the country to export limited quantity of exporting tactical weapons of defence nature to all most all continents of the world with focus on South Asia and Middle East.
The committee was informed that WAH complex has a cluster of 14 industries. "Pakistan's defence production quality is second to none because in combat environments you have no option but to kill your attacker at first instance with a superior weapon before he attempts to take your life," the chairman said. The committee was briefed in detail about the functions, responsibilities, work and performance of the Ministry of Defence Production and its attached departments by Minister Rana Tanveer and senior officials of the ministry.
It was decided that the committee will visit each set up for detailed evaluation and formulation of objective plans to leap forward to keep pace with modern technologies in the field of defence. The committee members including Sehar Kamran, Sitara Ayaz, Hafiz Hamdullah, Mian Mohammad Attiq Sheikh, Gian Chand and Brigadier John Kenneth Williams (Retd) also called for undertaking measures to promote the local industry.
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