KARAHCI, Aug 18: Chairman Senate Mohammadmian Soomro has said that the government sees the auto industry as a nursery for nurturing small and medium enterprises required to support government’s poverty alleviation plans.

During a visit to Pak Suzuki Motor Company Limited on Wednesday, he said that investment by the company to produce 100,000 units in 2006 and increase production capacity would bring a relief to the consumers and reduce car delivery time. He said the auto industry had entered the era of maturity and hopefully it would further contribute to the industrialization in the country.

Pak Suzuki managing director Kenichi Ayukawa said the government had assured the industry of closely monitoring the effects of changes in tariff and import rules and it would keep a close liaison with auto makers, says a press release.