ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Friday said that there is a need for enhanced public-private partnership to transform Pakistan’s defence industry into a vibrant, self-reliant and self-sustainable entity.
He was addressing a two-day seminar titled ‘Defence Production-Security through Self Reliance’ held in Rawalpindi on Friday.
The army chief said that apart from the public sector and defence production organisations, a fully integrated private sector in Pakistan’s defence industry is extremely important.
He said that there is a need to amplify indigenisation through fully integrated public and private organisations in defence production for meaningful progression of the couuntry’s defence. The seminar concluded with policy-level recommendations for the government.
Major recommendations included establishment of task force under the prime minister for formulating a roadmap to facility indigenous defence production, establish raw material industry, incorporate private sector for raw material so as to optimally utilise public sector capacity for indigenous defence production.
It was proposed that the surplus defence potential may be exported. ‘Digital parks’ should be established to tap software industry potential and research and development may be promoted in the universities, it was proposed.
Representatives from the public sector discussed and suggested the way forward for public-private partnership in defence production.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Defence Production Zobaida Jalal and Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry shared their views and suggestions for the development of Pakistan’s defence industry into a prolific entity.
Representatives from the private sectors shared a roadmap for enhancing public-private partnership in defence production.
Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile, Industry and Production and Investment of Pakistan Abdul Razak Dawood enlightened the participants on the importance of an independent defence industry for national security.
Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa thanked the participants for taking out the time for discussing an issue concerning national security.
