ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence Production on Tuesday expressed satisfaction and support for the Gwadar Shipyard Project, and urged the Balochistan government to facilitate it. The committee meeting was held under the chairmanship of Chaudhry Iftekhar Nazir, MNA.

Maj Gen Akif Iqbal, additional secretary, Ministry of Defence Production, briefed the Committee about the Gwadar Shipyard Project being undertaken by the Ministry of Defence Production. He said that the said project would help in bringing a bright future for the shipyard industry of Pakistan.

He informed that the land acquisition for the said project was going to be finalised with the provincial government of Balochistan in the near future. The Committee, while acknowledging the supervisory role of the Ministry of Defence Production with reference to the project expressed its full support to the Gwadar Shipyard Project, and urged the government to facilitate the same in the coming times.

Cdre Hammad Ahmed, project director, Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works (KS&EW), briefed the Committee about organisational structure and functions of the KS&EW, Karachi, installation of ship lift and transfer system and associated machinery and equipment to provide docking and repair facilities to surface ship, submarine and commercial vessels of up to 7,781 tonnage (Karachi) - PSDP Project, while Capt (retired) Aqib Rifat Shaikh, project director, briefed the Committee about up-gradation of the KS&EW. The Committee appreciated the briefing, and decided to visit the sites in the future to see physical development thereupon.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020