January 10, 2002	Thursday	Shawwal 25, 1422

ISLAMABAD, Jan 9: The federal government has decided to grant autonomous and limited companies status to Expert Advisory Cell (EAC) and National Productivity Organization (NPO) very soon.

Commerce Minister Abdul Razak Dawood presided over a meeting here on Wednesday to evaluate various proposals to that effect.

The meeting approved a proposal to provide a one-year rolling budget for EAC which should enable it to tap competent people on market rate pay packages to carrying out high calibre research and development work.

The minister directed that the task of converting EAC and NPO from resolutery bodies to autonomous entities with the status of companies limited by guarantees, be expedited and all legal framework be completed at the earliest.

He said that the long-term vision for EAC was to formulate commerce and industrial strategy with special emphasis on industrial capacity, surpluses and competitive and qualitative productivity.

He said that EAC must conform to the role of a think-tank for the government, which should enable the services of highly proficient and competent people so that new ideas for progress, development and export growth could be formulated.