Muhammad Abdul Rauf Siddiqui, Minister for Industry Sindh, said that government is taking all the measures to revive the industries in Sindh as it is imperative for the revival of the economy.
He further said, while addressing the luncheon meeting at Kati, that he proposed government that all the industrial units in industrial states in Sindh for building their own power generation for generate electricity upto 200MW for their own consumption and for selling to other factories to overcome the power crisis. He also said that government would cancel the land given for set-up industrial units if industries are not put on them.
Patron-in-Chief Kati, S. M. Muneer in his address said that we should do work on war footing to revive our industrial sector and save Pakistan from economic melt down. The issues should be discussed with business community to chalk out a comprehensive plan for its revival. He said that we give our full support to present government on every issue and to build a better and prosperous Pakistan.
The Chairman Kati Shaikh Fazl-e-Jalil, in his speech said that at present industries are facing tough competition in foreign markets due to high cost of production, as government has withdrawn the subsidies given on gas and oil. Specially due to day-to-day increase in electricity.
The business is declining due to unfavourable law and order situation in Karachi. There is a dearth of skilled workers and government should establish training centres for developing skilled and semi-skilled workers. Earlier, while giving a bird eye view of KIA, he said that Korangi Industrial Area is one of the largest industrial zones of Pakistan, which is spread over 8,500 acres of land.
And at present houses more than 4,500 industrial, commercial and service units. As per fair estimates KIA contributes revenue to the national exchequer around Rs 270-million per day. The majority of industries located in KIA are export oriented and hence earn a great deal of foreign exchange besides providing jobs to hundreds of thousands workforce in industries like oil refineries, lubricating oil blending plants, tanneries, leather and leather garment factories, textiles, garments, silk and towel factories etc. There are more than 370 textile industries in KIA and its adjacent areas and they contribute 7 percent of the total textile exports from Pakistan.
The present government has a very clear-cut policy for the industrialisation, as without which economy could not be flourished. "We prefer local investments on foreign investments as in foreign investments, the profit is remitted back to foreign country, while otherwise plough back in the economy", he further said. Chairman Standing Committee Kati for Industries/Investment and Public Sector Companies/CETP, Zahid Saeed also spoke at the occasion.-PR