RAWALPINDI - Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has said that there is a need for enhanced public-private partnership to make Pakistan defence industry a vibrant, self-reliant and self-sustained entity.
In his address at the two-day National Seminar on “Defence Production – Security through Self Reliance” held at Army Auditorium in Rawalpindi on Friday, the Army Chief said that apart from public sector and defence production organisations, a fully integrated private sector in our defence industry is much needed.
The participants of the seminar recommended formation of a Task Force under the Prime Minister for roadmap to facilitating indigenous defence production and incorporating private sector for raw material base so as to optimally utilise public sector capacity for indigenous defence production.
The two-day national seminar is 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 participated in the seminar. Representatives from public sector discussed and suggested way forward for public-private partnership in defence production.
Major recommendations included establishment of Task Force under Prime Minister for 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.
Speaking on the occasion, General Qamar Javed Bajwa said that apart from public sector and defence production organisations, a fully integrated private sector in our defence industry is much needed. 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 thanked the participants for giving time to an important issue concerning national security. He said that there is a need for enhanced public-private partnership to make Pakistan defence industry a vibrant, self-reliant and self-sustained entity.
Also speaking on the occasion, Minister for Defence Production Ms Zobaida Jalal and Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain shared their views and gave suggestions for development of Pakistan defence industry into a prolific entity.
Representatives from private sectors shared roadmap for enhancing public-private partnership in defence production.
Adviser to PM on Commerce, Textile, Industry, Production and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood enlightened the participants on importance of independent defence industry for national security. Based on discussion and suggestions discussed during the two days long sessions, the seminar concluded with policy-level recommendations for the government.