KARACHI, July 24: Permission to import second-hand buses under transfer of residence (TR) scheme and special-purpose trucks in the Trade Policy 2008-09 has exposed the administrative lapses in implementing the deletion programme. This was stated by Iftikhar Ali Malik, the former chairman of Pakistan Automobile Spareparts Importers and Dealers Association.

He said had the government pursued the deletion programme diligently, Pakistan would have been not only self-sufficient in production of Japanese vehicles like Hino and Nissan but would have also exported to other countries.

He alleged that the country was turned into paradise for the automobile assemblers, who hardly passed on technology to the vendor industry to produce deleted parts locally.

He said the local auto vendor industry had adequate in-house engineering facilities to produce such parts. The brilliant example of Massey Ferguson UK Tractors could be quoted as evidence. They have achieved deletion over 90 per cent.

Mr. Malik said under various schemes, almost junk was imported from outside against the scarce foreign exchange under the pretext of providing employment.

He said it was heartening to note that the visiting Japanese team had shown interest in investing in Pakistan in vital sectors like auto, power and infrastructure.

He suggested that Japanese should base their next automobile units in Pakistan on local vendor industry to give maximum benefits for the development of small industries.—PPI