March 12, 2002	Tuesday	Zilhaj 27, 1422

PESHAWAR, March 11: Federal government is likely to set up four new institutions on public-private participation basis to enhance capacity and improve value addition in four sectors — rice, agriculture, horticulture and leather products.

The new entities, envisaged to be independent in decision making by having majority members from the private sector on their boards of directors, would focus on the improvement of value addition in their respective areas, increase total volume of exports of specific items already high in demand, identify and tap due share for Pakistani products in the international markets.

“Federal agencies concerned and the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) have resolved to develop institutions on public-private participation basis to utilize the potential the country has got in various sectors,” said Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi, vice chairman, EPB, during his address to the participants of the inaugural ceremony of the 8th gems and minerals show, started here on Monday.

He said that there was greater need to replace the redundant institutions by effective and efficient entities with proper mechanism to help streamline the affairs and facilitate the private sector.

The respective boards of directors would be independent in decision-making to streamline the affairs of these productive sectors, facilitate the private sector in adopting modern technology, improve value-addition and tap international and local markets to have due share for the Pakistani products.

“The institutions, with greater representation to private sector, would be hiring professionals and experts of the international repute to take maximum advantage by properly utilizing the potential the country has in these four sub- sectors,” said the EPB’s vice chairman.

In this respect, he added, the recently launched gems and gemological institute, Peshawar, and jewellry institutes, already set up at Karachi and Lahore, would help improve the country’s exports by value-addition.

NWFP-based businessmen and traders dealing in gems, precious and semi-precious stones, said Qureshi, could best use to their advantage their proximity with Afghanistan, rich in gems and minerals.

Raw gems and minerals brought from Afghanistan could best be value-added as NWFP is going to have skilled work force trained at the gems and gemological institute, Peshawar.

“Exports of precious and semi-precious stones from NWFP could well get a major boost as a result of the establishment of the gems and gemological institute, Peshawar,” the EPB official hoped.