Local manufacturers should not be ignored while granting incentives to Chinese companies: Abdul Basit
LAHORE: China Pakistan economic Corridor (CPEC) can only be a fate or game changer for the country if sufficient preparations are made to face the challenges and get maximum out of it.
These views were expressed by Directorate General of Training and Research Director Rubina Wasti while addressing the gathering at a seminar on China Pak Economic Corridor held at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
DGTR Lahore Director Sima Shahzad, Director Customs Intelligence Faisalabad Zulfiqar Younas Deputy Director Kanwal Ali and other were also present on the occasion
Addressing the participants Rubina said that in order to get maximum benefits from the CPEC for reaching preparations have to be made so that issue, problems and other bottlenecks could be pre-determined to better cope with the difficulties concerning CPEC.
She said that the Customs DGTR has adopted a pro-active approach and has started initiating awareness program as far as the customs department is concerned.
“We have planned to hold a number of seminars in order to create awareness among the stake holders.
This the first seminar at the LCCI while second and third seminar in this connection will be held in Karachi and Islamabad respectively,” she informed. She appreciated the corporation extended by the LCCI. She said that DGTR is meant to train the stakeholders and raise voice to the concerned parties.
She added that presently DGTR Customs is focusing on enhancing skills in various areas including human resources, export and import so that the large quantum of the CPEC trader and business could be comprehended.
LCCI President Abdul Basit said that whole benefits and control to the outer companies would be a sheer injustice to the local industries that are already working in challenging conditions. They said that local manufacturers should not be ignored at any cost while granting incentives to the Chinese companies. He said that equal opportunities to the local manufacturers would help industrial expansion in the country.
He said that said that projects like CPEC have the capacity to support the local economy by increasing the demand for locally manufactured goods. He said that such increase in demand will not only allow full utilization of the existing manufacturing potential, but will also encourage the manufacturers to increase their capacity.
Faiz Ahmed, Chief Exemption and Export, FBR, Saleem Ranjha, DG IPR, Yasir Arfat, Head Research Associate Centre of Excellence, CPEC, Wang Zihai, PCJCCI, Brig. Nadeem Raja, Director NLC Thokar Niaz Beg, Maqsood Butt and LCCI VP Nasir Hameed Khan also spoke on the occasion.
