MUHAMMAD RIAZ
LAHORE: The Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO) in collaboration with the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry is organizing first ever three-day ‘Suppliers and Vendors Defence Exhibition’ - SAVDEX 2018 - from August 16 at the Expo Centre.
The DEPO’s Director Coordination Brig Waheed Imtiaz and LCCI President Malik Tahir Javed announced this at a joint press briefing on Monday while Commodore Tariq Mahmood from Pakistan Navy and Comd. Tahir from Pakistan Air Force also spoke on the occasion.
Brig Waheed said that SAVDEX is an effort towards realization of public-private partnership in defence manufacturing and collaboration in Pakistan. The exhibition will serve as a bridge between defence industry entrepreneurs, traders, R&D specialist, financial experts, and policy makers for capability enhancement and cost effective businesses.
In addition, a seminar on ‘Pakistan’s Defence Industry, Export Potential, Challenges and Prospects’ is also being held in collaboration with Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SPDI) to evaluate whole domain of the defence industry and its contribution towards overall economic development of Pakistan.
The seminar predominantly revolves around the corporate interests of public and private defence industry of Pakistan which is aimed at providing policy guidelines to the government to further optimize the potential in defence industry for economic growth of the country. Renowned experts will present their scholarly papers on the subject during the seminar.
Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen Zubair Mahmood Hayat will inaugurate the event which will be attended by ministers, cabinet members, members of the standing committees, foreign diplomats, senior level military leadership, public and private sector defence industry stakeholders, entrepreneurs, defence suppliers, vendors, media and members of various chambers of commerce of Pakistan, he added.
To a question, Brig Waheed Imitaz said the defence export is showing gradual increase that has reached US $300 million. Defence is not an export-oriented industry as we have to first cater to the domestic needs and only surplus production is exported, he said, adding that with an effective public-private partnership, the defence exports have potential to grow with the passage of time. “We are also focusing on African region which is our future market. In view of bright prospects in this region, we have taken 7-8 Pakistani missions on board and shared our profile,” he added.
Comd. Tahir said that memorandum of understandings are underway with a number of African countries region so that Pakistan could tap the potential of African market. Pakistan can provide quality goods at competitive price because of the indigenous technology. Since our armed forces are engaged in war on terrorism for the last many years therefore we have tested planes which can attract foreign buyers.
Comd. Tariq Mahmood gave a detailed presentation and said the Defence Export Promotion Organization (DEPO) is well known for providing professional, comprehensive and accurate information services of public and private defence industry of Pakistan.
He said Public Sector Defence Production Establishments, Pakistan Ordnance Factories, (POF) Wah, Heavy Industries Taxila, (HIT), Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra, National Radio Telecommunication Corporation, (NRTC), Military Vehicles Research & Development Establishment (MVRDE), Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Institute of Optronics, Peoples Steel Mills, Defence Procurement Agencies, Directorate General Munitions Production, (DG MP), Directorate General Defence Purchase, Directorate General Purchase, Directorate of Procumbent (Navy), Directorate of Procurement (Air), Research & Development (R&D) Organization and National University of Science & Technology (NUST) are taking part in the exhibition.
