RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD: Standing Committee on Defence Production while lauding the role of Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) Wah for making the country’s defence impregnable through indigenous resources, has stressed the need to further exploring foreign markets for defence related products exports.

These views were expressed by the committee members while paying a visit to POF Wah under the chairmanship of MNA Khawaja Sohail Mansoor.

Chairman POF, Lt Gen Omer Mehmood Hayat while welcoming the committee members highlighted that with the help of highly qualified engineers and hardworking and skilled technicians, POF Wah has shown remarkable achievements in cost saving development of indigenous projects. The committee expressed satisfaction over the performance of POF Wah and assured all-out efforts for requisite funds to facilitate replacement of old and obsolete machinery.

The POF chairman said the POF was not only meeting 100 percent requirements of the Pakistan armed forces in terms of arms and ammunition but also playing a vital role in strengthening the country’s economy by exporting arms to other countries.

Hayat informed the committee about the development made by the institution during the last 3 years. He also informed the committee about the installation of new commercial project of brass factory in POF.

The committee witnesses the working of various departments of POF and appreciated the efforts done by the management of POF for making the institution one of the best supporting industries of Pakistan armed forces and civil forces. The committee recommended that all provincial governments should be asked to give top priority to POF in purchase of weapons.

The chairman of the committee underscored the need for exploring markets to export surplus production of the POF by adopting a commercial approach. The participants were informed that POF’s exports have crossed $90 million mark and the entity at present is exporting weapons to 40 countries.