Public-private partnership must for self-reliance in defence production: COAS

RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa Friday stressed the need to amplify indigenisation through fully integrated public and private organisations in defence production for meaningful progression in defence of the country.

“Apart from public sector and defence production organisations, a fully integrated private sector in our defence industry is much wanting,” the COAS said while addressing a two-day national seminar on “Defence Production - Security through Self Reliance” at the Army Auditorium, Rawalpindi.

Thanking participants for giving time to an important issue concerning national security, the army chief said that there is a need for enhanced public private partnership to turn Pakistan defence industry into vibrant, self-reliant and self-sustained entity.

According to the ISPR, the seminar was aimed at self-reliance by exploring indigenous defence production potential, identifying organisational and institutional challenges of defence industry, pragmatic solutions to optimise defence production and recommending policy-level measures to have fully immersed private sector in defence production.

Members from different ministries, public and private organisations, chamber of commerce and industries, defence production establishments and academia attended the seminar. Representatives from public sector discussed and suggested way forward for public private partnership in defence production. ­Speaking on the occasions Zobaida Jalal, Minister for Defence Production, and Fawad Chaudhry, Minister for Science and Technology, shared their views and suggestions for development of Pakistan defence industry into a prolific entity.

Representatives from private sectors shared roadmap for enhancing public-private partnership in defence production.

Abdul Razak Dawood, Adviser to PM on Commerce, Textile, Industry and Production and Investment, enlightened the participants on importance of independent defence industry for national security.

Based on discussion and suggestions during the two-day sessions, the seminar concluded with policy-level recommendations for the government. Major recommendations included establishment of task force under the prime minister for roadmap to facilitating indigenous defence production, establishing raw material industry, incorporating private sector for raw material base so as to optimally utilise public sector capacity for indigenous defence production, surplus defence potential for export, establishing digital parks to tap software industry potential and promoting research and development in universities.

The army chief along with other guests also visited stalls of different organisations involved in the defence production activity.