WAH CANT, Feb 27: Indian massive deployment at Pakistan’s borders has seriously hampered Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) Wah exports as the complex has devoted all its production capabilities in meeting the requirements of the country’s armed forces.

It was stated by POF Wah Chairman Lt-Gen Abdul Qayyum at a briefing held here to mark the 50th anniversary of the factories, which was attended by 60 diplomats and defence attaches of over 50 countries, including the United States, China, Russia, and of Europe, Scandinavia, Middle East, Africa and Asia, including Central Asian Republics.

The POF has the potential of earning from $50 million to 100 million dollars a year through the export of international quality arms and ammunitions.

The POF, he pointed out, had been negotiating with over 40 countries around the globe for the exports of its light combat firearms, assault rifles and ammunition, which ranged from machine gun cartridges to mortars and bombs used in tanks and heavy artillery.

Lt-Gen Qayyum said POF exports at present were fluctuating between 15 million dollars to 30 million dollars a year. The POF, he added had been earning foreign exchange besides meeting hundred per cent requirement of over 600,000-strong Pakistan armed forces.

If the threats to Pakistan’s security were addressed and neutralised and the country could lower its guards, the POF could concentrate on exports and earn substantial foreign exchange which could be utilized on the welfare of the people, he added.

The basic task of the POF, he said, was to meet the requirements of the Pakistan Army, which it had been doing successfully and to the entire satisfaction of the military high command. He pointed out that recently they had received an order for the supply of ammunition from Sri Lanka which required at least two years time to meet but the highly skilled and devoted manpower at the factories met the demand within few weeks.