KARACHI: A trade delegation of America Pakistan Business Development Forum (AMPAK) led by Farooq Mughal, who is a first Pakistani elected for Georgia House of Representatives (Dacula), visited a local auto parts manufacturing company as part of their mission to collaborate with local industry.
The delegation was briefed by Director Mehran Commercial Enterprises and expert auto sector Mashood Ali Khan on how to increase trade in engineering between the US and Pakistan.
Farooq Mughal was the chief guest at the meeting. He is making efforts to develop cooperation with Pakistani entrepreneurs in Georgia. He added that they are looking for establishment of business growth opportunities in both countries and to launch and take active participation in projects.
Mashood discussed with him about creating linkages between US-Pak companies for joint ventures and technology collaborations with SMEs aligned in the supply chain of large OEMs.
“Our aim is to develop cooperation with SMEs in the US in order to achieve possible trade,” said Mashood.
He added that there is a need to develop a portal of SMEs in the US for integration of Pakistan’s engineering industry for sub-contracting parts.
“We can focus on different industries that include auto, aerospace, EV, railway, energy, and electronics,” he added.
He said that international businesses are looking for alternate destinations for their manufacturing so why not they come to Pakistan.
He added that Pakistan’s auto parts makers have developed in-house technology for sheet metal, forgings, castings, machining, rubber, plastics, electronics, jigs and fixtures, interiors etc.
Mashood also informed the delegation about localization and annual volumes of the local auto industry.
“In the segment of cars we have up to 60% localisation level with volumes up to 260,000 and capacity of 500,000,” said Mashood.
He added that localisation for tractors is about 90% with the volumes of 33,000 and capacity of 100,000.
President AMPAK Sheikh Imtiaz Hussain on the occasion said that their aim is to tie-up the links between Pakistani and American businesses.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022