Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday stressed upon the need for enhanced public-private partnership to turn Pakistan defence industry into a vibrant, self-reliant and self-sustained entity.
Addressing a two-day national seminar titled “Defence Production – Security through Self Reliance”, held at Army Auditorium in Rawalpindi, he said apart from public sector and defence production organisations, there was a dire need for a fully integrated private sector in the country’s defence industry.
The army chief thanked participants for giving time to an important issue concerning national security, said a statement issued by the Intrer-Services Public Relations. “There is a need to amplify indigenisation through fully integrated public and private organisations in defence production for meaningful progression in defence of the country,” the COAS was quoted by the military’s media wing as saying.
The seminar was aimed at paving way for self-reliance by exploring indigenous defence production potential, identifying organisational and institutional challenges of defence industry, pragmatic solutions to optimise defence production and recommending policy level measures to have fully immersed private sector in defence production.
Members from different ministries, public and private organisations, chamber of commerce and industries, defence production establishments and members from academia attended the seminar. Representatives from public sector discussed and suggested way forward for public private partnership in defence production.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Defence Production Zobaida Jalal and Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudry shared their views and suggestions for development of Pakistan defence industry into a prolific entity. Representatives from private sectors shared a roadmap for enhancing public-private partnership in the defence production. PM’s Advisor on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood enlightened the participants on importance of independent defence industry for national security.
The two-day-long seminar concluded with policy level recommendations for the government. Major recommendations included establishment of a task force under Prime Minister Imran Khan for a roadmap to facilitating indigenous defence production, establishing raw material industry, incorporating private sector for raw material base so as to optimally utilise public sector capacity for indigenous defence production, surplus defence potential for export, establishing “Digital Parks” to tap software industry potential and promoting research and development in universities.
