Tenth five-year plan: seven major engineering sub-sectors identified: report to be submitted by January end

The sub-working group (SWG) on engineering goods industry for preparation of 10th Five-Year People's Plan has identified seven major sub-sectors in the engineering industry. The timeframe for completion of the assignment is end of January 2010.
According to the minutes of the first meeting of the Group held on December 22 in Planning Commission Islamabad officially, issued by the Engineering Development Board (EDB), major sub-sectors include: basic metals, metal products, mechanical equipment and machinery, electrical/electronics equipment and machinery, transport equipment, automotive parts and spares, and engineering services.
The meeting was presided over by Engr M A Jabbar, Chairman of SWG, who emphasised the need for reorganisation of engineering sector in view of likely conclusion of non-agriculture market access (NAMA) negotiations under Doha round within two years when the tariff barriers may not be available. The need to capitalise on all previous work done on engineering sector in different government forums was also stressed upon. The members in their discussions highlighted the following:
-- Concentration of the working group should be on macro issues rather than individual issues.
-- Consolidation of activities of government departments should be to complement each other's efforts.
-- EDB has already initiated development of a long-term National Engineering Exports Development Strategy (NEEDS) under which a high-level Working Group (WG) has been constituted and also formulated 21 'Focused Functional Groups' (FFGs), which will undertake work in their respective sub-sectors. The plan will be consolidated based on FFGs reports. At present, questionnaire developed for obtaining information from different sub-sectors has been received which can also be utilised in formulating recommendations for 10th Five-Year People's Plan.
-- Indigenisation ensures sustainable growth of the engineering industry and development of design institutes in every sector is considered essential and services of Pakistanis living abroad can be utilised.
-- The future requirements of energy in the country should be considered with a view to build capabilities for local manufacturing of equipment required for future energy generation.
-- Development of engineering design capabilities through all means by established technology development centres in different parts of the country as this is a vital component for progress in design and development of engineering products.
-- Use of indigenous products by the public sector entities was a prerequisite for the capacity utilisation in the engineering sector and conditions of tied loan was considered a major impediment to achieve this objective.
-- Prioritisation of the products on the basis of production already achieved in the country where desired level of numbers has already been achieved to a level where components manufacturing has become feasible.
-- Development of vital CKD components of cars which at present are being imported.