ISLAMABAD, MILLAT+(APP): Minister for Industries and
Production Ghulam Murtaza Khan Jatoi Friday informed the Senate that
113 units of motorcycles manufacturing were registered across the
country out of which 38 were closed.
Replying to a question during Question Hour, the minister said
that motorcycles companies were included Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki
(Japanese) and Chinese companies.
Murtaza Jatoi said that currently, the companies which
producing passengers cars included Pak Suzuki Company (Karachi),
Honda Atlas Company (Lahore) and Toyota Indus Company (Karachi).
The minister conceded that the automobile industry was facing
slow down growth.
Giving year wise details, the minister said that cars
production in 2012-13 was 120,332, in 2013-14 116,605, in 2014-15
152,524 and in 2015-16 179,944, while motorcycles manufacturing in
2012-13 was 1,657,411, in 2013-14 1,703,106, in 2014-15 1,775,682
and in 2015-16 1,870,382.
To another question, the minister said that Pakistan Steel
Mills (PSM) was on privatization list of the government.
The minister said that efforts were underway to privatize or
lease out the entity but the final decision would be taken by the
Privatize Commission.
To a question about the quality of Hunda Civic Car, the
minister said that as informed by M/s Honda Atlas Cars Pakistan Ltd,
the statement was not true since the company has been winning the
Best Quality Award in Asia Oceania Region for last six years.
Further, the new Civic model being assembled locally was of
international quality and was well accepted in Pakistani market, he
added.
The minister said that substantial back orders and increasing
trend of demand have forced the company to operate second shift from
December 2016.
He said the government was facilitating manufacturers of car
components through concessionary imports of raw material, sub-
component required for the manufacturing and assembly of auto parts.
The minister said that different car manufacturing companies
including Renault, Foton, Honda, Nissan and Hyundai have shown
interest to set up their manufacturing plants in Pakistan.
Murtaza Jatoi said the matter was being processed and hoped
that investment would come to Pakistan as a result of setting up of
these plants.
He said that Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority
(PSQCA) was the organization responsible for quality control of cars
being manufactured in the country.
About the steps to enhance the production of the engineering
sector, the minister said the government has announced Automotive
Development Policy (ADP) – 2016-21 to attract investment in
greenfield for installation of new automotive plants and brownfield
investments for revival of closed down units in automobile
manufacturing for enhancing production of automobile products
including the Cars/LCVs and HCVs by providing various incentives to
the sector.
He said that academia and research organizations were also
engaged to address the technical issues pertaining to product,
process and materials as and when required by the industry, he
added.
Murtaza Jatoi said that revamping of list of locally
manufactured goods to patronize local manufacturing industry by
attracting higher duties of same goods if imported.
Besides, he said the government has announced zero load
shedding for industrial sector to enhance the production of the
domestic industry including the engineering sector.
The minister said that measures to enhance production of
export industry by providing it uninterrupted gas and power supply,
relief in taxes, clearance of refunds etc.