Govt Forms Advisory Council to Create Pakistan’s First Industrial Policy

The government of Pakistan’s Industries and Production Division (I&P Division) has formed an Industrial Advisory Council that is tasked to put together the country’s first-ever industrial policy within 10 weeks. The council consists of top industrialists including Fawad Anwer Mukhtar, Muhammad Ali Tabba, Waqar Ahmed Malik, Abdus Samad Dawood, Raza Mansha, Shahzad Asghar Ali, Samir Chinoy, Amir Fayyaz Sheikh, and Shahbaz Yasin Malik, Ahsan Bashir,  Syed Haider Ali, and Farooq Naseem from the private sector. As for the public sector, the list of members includes the Additional Secretary of the I&P Division, the Secretary of the Finance Divison and the Commerce Division, the Chairman of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), all Chief Secretaries of the Provincial Governments (including GB and AJK), and the Joint Secretary of the I&P Division. As for the Chairman of the Advisory (Minister for Industries and Production), he will have the authority to assign any other person from the public or private sector if deemed necessary. The I&P Division will provide secretariat support to the Committee. The committee is also tasked to hold a weekly meeting and submit its final report in 10 weeks, as mentioned earlier. Under the leadership of Gen Asim Munir, the SIFC (Special Investment Facilitation Council) is dedicated to fully implementing the recommendations to maximize the potential of Pakistan’s industrial base.