LAHORE, Sept 28: Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) Chief Executive Officer Shaid Rashid has urged the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to provide more expertise input to authority’s joint programme with the agency to help improve efficiency of the auto industry in Pakistan.

Addressing a meeting during his visit to Al-Bader Engineering in Sheikhupura, which is the 37th project of the JICA-Smeda joint venture, Mr Rashid said productivity of the rim plant of the factory had improved by 86 percent after redesigning of its layout plan by Japanese automotive expert Kiyoshi Yoshida. He urged the expert to further strengthen JICA’s support to the local auto industry.

The Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers should also support the efforts of JICA and Smeda for technical uplift of the auto vendor industry, Mr Rashid added.