HARIPUR: Federal minister for science and technology Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui has said the government considers the Telephone Industries of Pakistan to be an important national asset and therefore, it will revive it as a profit making unit.

The minister told reporters during a visit to the TIP premises here on Wednesday that the TIP had state-of-the-art infrastructure, which would be used to meet the country’s needs for telephones, mobile phones and energy meters.

He said his visit was meant to find out ways and means to revive the TIP, develop production plan and learn about the current and future market trends.

The minister said the execution of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project had increased the chances of the TIP’s revival and therefore, the government would utilise its all possible resources to revitalise that sick unit.

He said he would discuss with federal minister for energy Omar Ayub Khan the use of the TIP’s energy meters by the Wapda.

The minister said the factors, which turned the TIP into a non-productive industrial unit, would be properly assessed, while its trained manpower would be engaged for future projects on priority basis. He also promised the creation of new job opportunities.

TIP managing director Taimur Khan earlier briefed the minister about the facility’s production, liabilities and future potential.

NO TRUST MOTION: More than 50 members of the Haripur district council will formally move the no trust motion against nazim Adil Islam today (Thursday).

The session was called by the naib nazim, who had received the motion signed by 50 councillors on Jan 4.

Councillor Asif Ali Jah, who signed the motion, alleged that the nazim was involved in corruption, worked against the PTI on whose ticket he was elected the nazim, had a conflict with the entire district machinery, failed to attend the house as required by the law, behaved badly with members, and distributed funds among council members unequally.

He said of the total 68 members, around 57 had vowed on oath to remove the nazim.

When contacted, the nazim claimed that the no confidence motion would suffer defeat as he enjoyed the support of the majority of councillors. Adil Islam had survived four similar attempts in the last four years.

Published in Dawn, January 10th, 2019