Call to enhance quality, productivity to compete in WTO regime

Pakistan should have no threat by the implementation of World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime in 2005, as the tariff in Pakistan is already comparatively low, but we have to make ourselves prepare to compete big giants in the international market by enhancing quality and productivity.
Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) President Najam Rehan has said this while addressing the participants of a seminar titled "the WTO and Pakistan: 2005 and beyond" organised by the RCCI in league with Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Islamabad.
Besides RCCI President Najam Rehan, the seminar was attended by senior executives of the chamber and a large number of business leaders and businessmen of the area.
Speaking on the occasion Najam Rehan said, "the WTO would provide us a chance to enhance the quality of our products to secure a good space in the world market".
He reiterated the RCCI would continue to play its important role in creating awareness and imparting knowledge to business class, regarding the WTO and South Asia Free Trade Agreement (Safta) to make them ready to face those challenges and get better yields out of those agreements.
Earlier, RCCI former President Amanullah Khan in his remarks stressed the need of seminars, workshops and training sessions to give proper know-how to businessmen about the up coming challenges on economic front. He disclosed that the RCCI and the IPS would hold seminars and awareness campaign on the WTO in future on regular basis.
IPS Executive Director Khalid Rahman was of the view that due to lack of knowledge and expertise Pakistan was lacking far behind in the race of development. "We must get prepared and get proper knowledge of the WTO and its affects on our economic structure", he added.
IPS Working Group on the WTO chairman, Fasihuddin said the developing countries should use facilities available to them like technical assistance and capacity building to face the challenges posed by the WTO regime. "Pakistan, like other developing countries, will have to improve the quality of its products and services to claim its due share in international trade", he added.
Former Federal Secretary and National Tariff Commission Chairman, Masud Daher was of the view that Pakistan stood to face tough competition form China and India in the textile sector. Antidumping Director and Countervailing Nation Tariff Commission Khizar Hayat also participated in the discussion.