December 17, 2003	Wednesday	Shawwal 22, 1424

ISLAMABAD, Dec 16: The Russian Automobile manufacturers, who are visiting Pakistan have shown keen interest in setting up manufacturing facilities in the country for making automobiles.

This was stated by the Russian Automobile delegation led by Valeriy M. Platonov, general director, chelyabinsk tractor plant along with Alexander E. Mousiiko, deputy general director, member of the board, Traktoreexport and Shehzad Sheikh, MD, inter-trade, in a meeting with Minister of Industries and Production Liaquat Jatoi here on Tuesday.

The minister emphasised that there was a demand for local manufacturing of automobiles in Pakistan and “we are keenly looking for this investment as it would not only generate employment but would also result in transfer of technology.”

The Pakistan government would provide all possible assistance under the existing laws, he said.

The Russian delegation drew a comparison between automobiles made in Russia with those made in other Western countries and said that their product was twice as cheap.

They desired further information on the prospects of investment and marketing of automobiles.