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Conversion of closed units to training centres under study: Razak

MUZAFFAR QURESHI

KARACHI: The government is considering a proposal to convert all closed factories listed for privatisation into technical training institutes for the development of trade and industry.

This was stated by the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Production, Abdul Razak Dawood, when he visited the technical training institute of the Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (Prgmea) at Shara-e-Faisal on Wednesday. He was accompanied by Syed Masood Alam Rizvi, Vice-Chairman, Export Promotion Bureau.

The minister said that there were 41 sick industrial units under

ministry of production, of which 15 units were completely closed. He said that he had suggested to the government not to sell these units and, instead, convert them into institutes for training of workers of export oriented industries which, in the long run, would handsomely pay off.

Addressing the chairman and managing committee members of Prgmea at the institute, Abdul Razak emphasized on the need for education and training of industrial workers without which no breakthrough in export was possible.

The Ministry of Commerce has engaged an expert from LUMS to carry out a study on training facilities created for workers in Malaysia, Korea and Thailand etc which led to the development of trade, especially exports.

The minister offered incentives to the businessmen contributing for training of their workers and said that any businessman donating Rs. 100,000 towards research and training would get Rs. 200,000 off his tax dues. The ministry has also offered APTMA to spend Rs. 50 million on the Textile Institute and get an equal amount from the Export Marketing Development Fund.

Abdul Razak said that the School of Fashion in Lahore which was hitherto under the EPB management was being made an autonomous body to be run by an independent board of governors. He advised national education and technical institutes not to run for affiliation with famous foreign institutions and instead evolve their manuals and curricula to develop their courses suited to the local environment.

The minister said that he had been impressed with the training courses being taught at Prgmea's institute and advised the management to create more training facilities for women workers which were the main working force in garment factories. He directed that more women should be attracted for training as majority of garment factory workers in the neighbouring countries were women.

The ministry would provide all moral and material support to Prgmea for expanding the training facilities into phase 11 which will include construction of a model factory to familiarise trained workers with the environment at work. The total estimated cost of expansion of technical training institute of Prgmea is Rs. 10 million.

Earlier welcoming the minister, Javed Chinoy, Chairman, Prgmea (Central), said that in the past the value added textile sector was neglected but the Commerce Minister was taking personal interest to set the value added industry on sound footing.

He assured the minister all out support of the readymade garment industry for making Pakistan the 5th largest textile exporter in the world. He said that Prgmea was the largest textile value added association in the country and had 1200 members scattered all over Pakistan.

Earlier M/s Asma Hassan, Principal of the Prgmea's institute gave a briefing about the institute. Naim Suria told the minister about financial income and expenditures of the institute and the estimates for second phase of the institute.

Also present at the function were Khursheed Ahmed, vice-chairman Prgmea, Asif Abdulla, Bilal Mulla, Vaqar Khamisani, Abdul Rahman, Zubair Parekh, Aziz Tahir, Naim Ahmed, Adnan Ahmed, Saud Elahi and other managing committee members.