The government has agreed to a proposal to set up Small Industrial Estate in Darra Adam Khel to facilitate arms manufacturers and to improve the standard of small arms being produced in the area. The proposal to establish small industrial estate in Darra Adamk Kel was floated during a presentation to the NWFP Governor by the Chairman, Pakistan Hunting and Sporting Arms Development Company (PHSADC), Nauman Wazir.
The government had reportedly agreed to the proposal made by the company. Talking to newsmen the PHSADC Chief claimed that the Governor, NWFP, Awais Ahmad Ghani agreed that with the establishment of small industrial estate, arm manufacturers of Darra will get proper infrastructure facility. Presently, he said, arms manufacturing units are facing great problems especially, due to frequent and long hour power disruption.
The Governor was also informed that there are about 34 licensed gun manufacturers in Peshawar and 87 in Dara, who are providing employment to about 36,000 workers directly and indirectly. The Governor assured of his full co-operation in setting up industrial estate in Darra, Wazir added. The presentation, he continued, was arranged to apprise the NWFP Governor about the objectives and performance of the PHSADC.
The Governor was informed that the PHSADC is striving to unleash the hidden potential of guns craftsmen and artisan through improving their skills by utilising appropriate technology and by bringing them under legal net to produce non lethal value added products hence making it a globally acceptable arm.
The PHSADC, Wazir added, is also helping the government in its fight against terrorism by bringing arms manufacturers under legal net by producing hunting and sporting arms and discouraging lethal weapons. Arms manufacturers are encouraged to produce non-firing products like wall hangers, replicas, vintage weapons, swords, daggers and leather cases instead of producing lethal weapon, he added.
The strategy of the PHSADC is to improve skill of arms manufacturers so that hunting and sporting arms could be made exportable. In this regard, he added, the PHSADC is focusing on technology advancement and pursuing value addition through capacity building and product diversification.
About the vision of the PHSAC, the Chairman said, the Governor was informed that the company has set a target of earning $100 million by the year 2011 through exporting sports arms and accessories. Similarly, 500 arms manufacturers would be documented and registered with the PHSADC and skill of 250 artisans would be improved in three years.
Further, the PHSADC plans to educate 200 amateur and professional sports person in gun safety and hunting etiquette in three years. About the achievement, he said, the Governor was informed that for the first time arms manufacturers from Darra and Peshawar participated and exhibited their products in international exhibition IDEAs 2008.