President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Muhammad Ishaq Butt has said, we as a nation are being undermined by the menace of terrorism which not only has adverse implications on our society but also adversely affecting the trade and industry in the country.
At this critical juncture collective efforts were direly needed to cope with the menace terrorism which undermining the national interests and challenging the writ of the government, he said. Talking to Business Recorder here on Saturday, he said under the prevailing scenario of the country the confidence of foreign investors who were vital for the expansion, modernisation and diversification of the sectors of the industry had become halted.
The SCCI President further stated that there was a great need of obtaining modern production technology to compete the global competitors. The world-wide industrial technology has improved the production but due to lack of funds and government support our industrial sector is lagging behind and private sector was unable to modernise its industrial units without the government, he said.
Federal government should formulate a strategy with the consent of Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP and Punjab government for developing a strong industrial base aimed at generating a large number of employment opportunities which would ultimately help reduce the tendency of militancy, terrorism and social evils in the country, he said.
He said that drastic steps were also needed for providing skill training in accordance with needs of industrial sectors of four provinces adding that there was a great need of activating of skill development training institutions functioning in Balochistan, Sindh, NWFP and Punjab for producing skilled and semi skilled industrial work force on modern and scientific lines.
At present the industrial sector was facing shortage of trained industrial work force but concerned quarters were not paying proper heed to address the issue, he said. Ishaq Butt said that if situation remained the same the local industrial sector especially surgical industry and sports goods industry would face problems in the absence of skilled and semi-skilled manpower.
The SCCI President further stated that special attention should also be accorded on the development and promotion of handicrafts and non-traditional products for safeguarding small industries functioning in remote areas of the country. President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Muhammad Ishaq Butt hailed the Balochistan package and termed it a right step in a right direction. Balochistan package would open new era of development, prosperity and brings down the poverty line besides help in vanishing sense of deprivation from the province, he said.