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| August 24, 2005 | Wednesday | Rajab 18, 1426 |
Steps urged to meet WTO challenges
SWABI, Aug 23: The government must adopt precautionary measures to meet the challenge of the WTO regime and if the country failed to do so the economy will face the threat of a collapse.
“The infant industrial sector of the country would face the worst implications if the government does not take preventive steps at an early stage”, said former president of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ghulam Sarwar Khan Mohmand, while talking to businessmen at Gadoon Amazai Industrial Estate here on Tuesday.
Mr Sarwar said that the Pakistan industry is in a very infancy Stage and with the WTO regime there would be worldwide competition with all developed and developing countries and in such trade scenario if we don’t shield our industrial sector the economic situation would be further weakened.
“The government should extend equal treatment to all entrepreneurs whether they are in Punjab, Sindh, NWFP or Balochistan. Only the big brother (Punjab) should not devour all the vitals of the industrial sector,” he said.
“The formal trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan had already crossed $1 billion mark and it could be increased further by making Peshawar a hub of trade activities. We have to boost trade with the landlocked Central Asian Republics”.
He said the NWFP entrepreneurs wanted the establishment of a modern industrial zone on Peshawar-Islamabad Motorway.
However, he said the government should also take steps for strengthening the other industrial zone in NWFP because as compare to Punjab and Sindh the industry of Frontier has been lagging far behind.
About the GAIE he said it was the only industrial estate in the country which was established when the people sacrificed their lives.
However, he said, the NWFP provincial and federal governments did not take steps for the protection of Gadoon Estate.
“Looking to the locational disadvantage of Gadoon Estate the government must come forward to provide some incentives to it. Without incentives it is quite difficult that the Gadoon Estate would survive”, he said.
He said they would meet the prime minister on Aug 26 and he would raise the issue of Gadoon Estate with him.
Former president, Gadoon Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Liaqat Ahmad Khan appealed to the government to come forward for the revival of Gadoon which has already become “a textile estate”.
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