PESHAWAR, Oct 30: Pakistan can fetch $100 million by increasing export of sporting arms within the next three years, an official of Pakistan Hunting and Sporting Arms Development Company (PHSADC) said here on Thursday.

The federal government has replaced the management and redefined the vision of PHSADC, a public sector institution established some two years back, mainly to activate it and achieve the export targets, said Nauman Wazir, the newly appointed chairman of the company, while speaking at a press conference.The PHSADC was established under Section 42 of the Companies Ordinance 1984, as a subordinate body of the Ministry of Industries, Production and Special Initiatives to develop the local arms industry particularly in Dara Adamkhel in 2006.

The previous government had posted retired military officers as chairman and chief operating officer of the company, who could not execute the project during the last two years because of management issues, law and order situation in Dara Adamkhel and flaws in operational strategy, said Mr Wazir.

Figuring out the redefined vision of the PHSDC, Mr Wazir said that special focus would be on Darra Adamkhel to develop it into an organised industrial zone.

Likewise, it will establish linkages for export of hunting and sporting arms and accessories, export any available weapons, replicas, stocks of weapons and accessories. Creating linkages with world market for constant flow of information, developing a library on hunting and sporting arms, organising seminars, exhibitions, study visits, developing a high value added market for hand-made replicas and guns and promoting hunting tourism in Pakistan will be some of its major objectives.

Mr Wazir said that new focus will be on improving skill level and quality in the value chain for producing hand-made customised guns, which he said was a real strength of local manufacturers. Similarly, promoting the associated products including leather and textile, enhancing competitiveness and documentation of arms manufacturing will be tackled during next three years.

Currently, he said, the volume of global arms trade was $25.6 billion out of which Pakistan’s share was just 0.003 per cent, which, he said, can easily be increased by exporting hand-made customised guns. The company had set export target of $100 million, which would be achieved in next three years, he maintained.

To a question, he said security constraints in Dara Adamkhel tribal region were a source of worry, but he believed that the situation would improve with possible changes in the war on terror policy.

About the expected results of the project, Nauman Wazir said the export of sports arms and accessories could be made up to dollar 100 million by the year 2011.

Similarly, he continued, 500 documented and registered SMEs would be set up in the country. Skills of about 250 artisans would be improved within three year, the completion period of the project. Over 200 amateur and professional sports persons would get education on gun safety and etiquettes in three years, he concluded.