Chairman Surgical Instrument Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (SIMAP) Aamir Riaz Bhinder has said that the industry demands that the Ministry of Industries should appoint a local consultant for the project instead of J. E. Austin and the strategy plan should be redesigned in consultation with the SIMAP and the Industry and till then, funds of Rs 1.75 billion approved for surgical industry, should not be released.
This was stated in a press release issued here on Thursday he added that Surgical Industry of Sialkot solicits immediate intervention of Federal Minister of Industries and Chief Executive Smeda in the matters concerning recently approved strategy plan for surgical sector prepared by J. E. Austin, costing Rs 1.75 billion.
The industry also request for immediate attention of the President and the Prime Minister in the issue. Aamir Bhinder said that plan prepared by the consultant J. E. Austin, needs immediate revision as it does not cater requirements of the whole industry and only safeguards interests of some specific ten or fifteen surgical exporters.
He said that for the first time in the history of the industry, the present government is investing a huge amount of Rs 1.75 billion on this sector and for which the government deserves appreciation.
This money should be utilised with the consent and backing of the whole industry and its sole representative, Surgical Association, which is serving the sector since 1958, so that the whole industry which consists mainly of small and medium exporters, could get use of it and the industry could flourish.-PR