Task force constituted to evaluate COVID-19 impact on industrial sector

PESHAWAR: In pursuance of the decision of the provincial cabinet and state of emergency declared in the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the secretary of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Industries, Commerce and Technical Education Department has constituted a task force to evaluate overall impact of the pandemic on industrial sector in the province.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Economic Zones Development and Management Company (KP-EZDMC) Javed Iqbal Khattak has been nominated as chairman while other members are CEO KP-BoIT, director industries, managing director Small Industries Development Board (SIDB) and project director Economic Revitalization of KP and Fata (ERKF) project while manager estate (KP-EZDMC) will act as secretary to the task force. Other terms and reference of the task force include proposed measures to mitigate various types of losses and fiscal incentives to government for recovery of the industrial sector.

The task force will also make recommendations to secretary industries to exempt industries from observance of public holidays announced due to COVID-19 situation. The task force had started functioning and in first instance had submitted recommendations to the secretary Industries, Commerce and Technical Education for exempting various industries from the observance of the holidays, who had formally notified their exemption.

The exempted industries include oil and ghee and its allied industries like tin manufacturing, printing, packaging and plastic poach packing while flour and its allied industry of polypropylene have also been exempted of the lockdown. Similarly, bottled water & beverages and their allied industries including plastic and glass bottle making, bottle cap making , seals making and printing and packaging have been exempted.

Other food items’ producers and packaging include tin manufacturing, packaging and plastic pouch packing units. While pharmaceutical and its allied industries included printing, packaging, raw material manufacturing, ampules and bottle making, tin making, cotton/out over making, bottle manufacturing, aluminum foil making, bottle cap industry, cotton industry, robber stopper and vial ampoule making.