KARACHI, Oct 20: Pakistan Steel is expecting a jump in consumption of steel and its products as reconstruction activities are gathering pace in the earthquake devastated areas.

Pakistan Steel chairman Lt Gen (Retd) Abdul Qayum said he could not give the exact numbers but he foresaw an increase in demand. “The mill will have to expand its capacity to at least three million tons immediately to meet the increasing domestic steel needs. This will ensure a greater role for the Pakistan Steel,” he added.

He told Dawn on Thursday that consumption of steel products would rise in the aftermath of the devastation caused by this calamity. However, supply of steel by Pakistan Steel and through imports would not be a problem.

In response to a query regarding the government policy to use light weighted material instead of concrete for the reconstruction of the devastated towns, the PS chairman said that construction technologies had been modernized with the passage of time and simple living units could now be assembled in days with pre-fabricated lighter materials.

“We must introduce these modern trends in housing sector in Pakistan. However, we will have to keep the weather and climatic conditions in mind before taking any decision. Pakistan faces extreme weathers which pose a challenge,” Qayum said.

He said that even if the government decided to build houses, hospitals and schools with light weighted materials it would need steel for bridges, flyovers, water pipes, gas lines, airports, dams and rail lines etc. So, Pakistan Steel would still have a major role to play for infrastructural development in the country.

The government has already constituted an authority under Engineer-in-Chief, Armed Forces, Lt Gen Zubair, for evolving a reconstruction strategy. “We will give our input when needed,” he said, adding “we have adequate raw material stocks based on our production capacity of 1.1 million tons per year.”

Country’s steel manufacturers and dealers also have adequate arrangements to meet the challenge of this unprecedented disaster.

Pakistan Steel has already started supplying galvanized coils for conversion into corrugated sheets required for shelter construction besides employees of the PS have contributed Rs10 million from their salaries.

Qayum said that another Rs10 million were being given for provision of packed food stuff for the earthquake affectees. Besides, the mill also contemplating to make significant monetary contribution to President’s Relief Fund. “This will be announced shortly”.

He said that average world per capita steel consumption was 165 kg. Pakistan is unfortunately in the club of low consumers. However, domestic consumption has recently jumped from 25 to 30 kg due to industrial and infrastructural growth. “This is likely to rise further,” he added.

The PS chairman said that the steel sector had been neglected since inception of Pakistan. “The country is not surplus in any item, however, while we can produce adequate long products (billets), we shall have to depend on imports of flat products to cater for the deficiency, till we develop our domestic steel production potential both in public and private sectors on professional lines.”