'ECC to review prices of automobiles in next meeting'

The Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) to review measures and take decision on the basis of recommendations presented by concerned committee for curtailing prices of auto cars in the country. This was stated by Federal Minister for Industries and Production, Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, while talking to journalists here at the office of Pakistan Hunting and Sporting Arms Development Company (PHSADC) in Hayatabad Township on Thursday.
He said during the last meeting of ECC, the issue of high price of locally manufactured vehicles was raised and the Prime Minister constituted a special committee to conduct a market survey, meet stakeholders and suggest measures for providing relief to the masses.
The proposals to bring down the prices of the automobiles in the country were included exemption in taxes, transfer of personal luggage and inviting of even new automobiles manufacturing companies to the country. The Ministry, he said, is also in touch with a Korean auto manufacturing company and also considering allowing the import of three years old automobiles to create competitive environment in the country.
These all proposals would be put before the ECC in its next meeting to decide on how to provide cheap automobiles to the people of the country. To a question regarding prices of the essential food items, he said that Rs 7.2 billion Ramazan Package has been announced by the government. He said that the government is making efforts for provision of essential food items at lower rates to the people.
He said that a sufficient stock for a period of four months is present in the country. But, the government is also importing the commodity to ensure availability of the commodity to the people. The federal minister for industries and production said that the target of the establishment of one utility store in each every council level was not achieved due to certain reasons. However, he said that the government had planned establishment of 5500 more utility stores with, at least, one in each union council throughout the country for provision of cheap and quality essential items to the people at their doorstep.
He appreciated the efforts of the Pakistan Hunting & Sporting Arms Development Company (PHSADC) and said that the potential of the sector would be promoted through bringing improvement in the quality of the production. He said that China, India and Africa is the big market, saying that the hunting and sporting arms produced in the country would be further improved to capture the market. He said that the price of the product is 1/10 less than other countries. The industry, he said, would be boosted, promoted through the provision of modern technology to generate employment opportunity and will also look for market.