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ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain said on Tuesday that Pakistan is producing state of the art defence products, which have also been exported to friendly countries, according to a report on Radio Pakistan.
The president was speaking at a seminar on public-private partnership in production and export of defence equipment.
“There is need to enhance defence production capabilities for economic stability of the country,” said the president.
He also added that public-private partnership in defence production will usher in a new era in the progress of this industry.
The president was also of the opinion that better marketing policies need to be developed in order to enhance export of Pakistani defence products to international clients, said the report.
“The defence industry could be further strengthened and its exports enhanced by engaging the private sector in an effective manner. The government should encourage private sector for this purpose,” stated President Mamnoon.
He also stated that the country has yet not been able to exploit its true potential in defence related exports due to weak marketing, law and order and problems being faced by the region.
Last year, defence hardware worth $1.5bn was produced locally, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex at Kamra, which manufactures JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, Mushak and Super Mushak aircraft produced equipment worth a billion dollars last year.
Supplies worth another $500 million came from other production facilities catering for the Army and the Navy. These included the Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT) and the Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF).
The Taxila complex builds Al Khalid and Al Zarrar tanks along with armoured personnel carriers, while POF produces small arms and medium-sized weapon systems for the armed forces. Another major contributor has been the Karachi Shipyard and Engineering Works.
Despite the progress made by the local defence industry in meeting the needs of the armed forces, the defence industry has not achieved much success in finding buyers for its products in the international market.
Officials are hopeful of some deals materialising in the near future, including one for sale of JF-17 Thunder jets.
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On DawnNews
Comments (44) Closed
Dec 02, 2015 02:18pm
Start producing State of the Art products to save lives and lift their standard of living, instead of making tanks!
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Dec 02, 2015 02:28pm
Let them make roads, metros, highways and fill their pockets!!
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Dec 02, 2015 02:30pm
Western countries are earning from arm industry as main source of heavy income with fire power in their hands. Please make joint production units with Saudi-USA-UAE as oil is no more only source of income. Lives may only be saved if timidity is over by having strong fire power otherwise bear with threats from all enemies and bombings.
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Dec 02, 2015 02:31pm
@KHALIDS what have health products got to do with defense products ? No one is stopping the Government from spending on health or education so let's not blame the Defense industry for your own short comings.
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Dec 02, 2015 02:41pm
I am n Indian... I feel that is that is an industry that is showing promise then go whole hog at it.
Defence requires immense engineering talent. If I were a Pakistani I would be proud.
I am also positive about CPEC- why do Pakistanis think that Indians are against it.
If it is a big project ask India also to be a part of it. Invite companies like Tata, Mahindra, Birla, Reliance to be a part of it.
There is immense potential Pakistan can reap by partnering with India. A few IT companies can create not less than 5 lakh jobs in a couple of years in Pak.
Sometimes I feel that India can help Pakistan's growth much better than China. We know socio political and economical landscape. We know how to make things work amidst corruption and bureaucracy. Chinese managers get all hurdles cleared by their Communist govt. Pakistan cant evacuate people overnight like China.
Let's have a target- 5 lakh people from each side should visit each others nations.
Imagine the power of people contact. !
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Dec 02, 2015 02:44pm
The pak rupee went up to 107.50 per dollar Mr. President, please have a talk with finance minister and ask him what is going on.
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Dec 02, 2015 02:59pm
Since last 68 years listening the same mantra, time has come to invest in people. If properly invested in science and technology then probably don't need big killing machines.
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Dec 02, 2015 03:03pm
@KhalidS
Can you tell us how a factory that builds tanks and fighter jets can suddenly start producing medical equipment? Defense products get exported and bring in profits. They reduce our imports and save money for the nation. They also pay taxes which again means more money for the government. It is up to the government how they spend that money and up to the people how they hold their government accountable. Defense production facilities of Pakistan are profit making entities unlike Pakistan steel mill where we are losing money every year. They provide job to thousands of Pakistanis working in the factories and associated private civilian suppliers. Why the negativity around anything associated with defense?
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Dec 02, 2015 03:09pm
Why no buyers for our state of art products ?
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Dec 02, 2015 03:27pm
I wish we were producing state of the art President as well.
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Dec 02, 2015 03:34pm
I do not know how we define here in Pakistan "state of the art". We used to hear that a "state of the art" Convention Center was being built in Islamabad. The roof of the Center started leaking within first year of its construction. If this is what we call 'state of the art", we better coin some other term.
As regards defense production, that is probably the only "state of the art" thing we have produced because otherwise we have produced absolutely nothing worthwhile in the six decades or so that could have improved the people's life or earned good name for Pakistan abroad.
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Dec 02, 2015 03:35pm
Alass! He might have said, Pakistan produces state of the technology products that helps improving human life.
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Dec 02, 2015 03:35pm
Why did the president need to make such a futile statements? WE don't even produce basic parts like mechanical engines leave alone anything state of art. I think someone gave the president wrong feedback.
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Dec 02, 2015 03:45pm
@KhalidS I agree fully.
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Dec 02, 2015 03:48pm
Just because these products produced by army and not by corrupt polititions?
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Dec 02, 2015 03:55pm
You need specialist marketing managers with a know how in military hardware to sell defence products. Our military personnel are very well trained for the defence but they lack marketing expertise.
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Dec 02, 2015 03:56pm
The problem is it's not producing much else that's state of the art.
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Dec 02, 2015 04:02pm
Good.
Pakistan can then reduce defence imports while increasing exports.
But is that really happening ?
If the answer is affirmative then please carry on. All the best wishes from India as it will generate employment, income which in turn bring peace.
If the answer is negative, retrospection will be the need of hour as life of bubble of lies can't be extended forever.
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Dec 02, 2015 04:02pm
Pakistan should focus even more om R&D: we can export up to 300 km missiles frim the 1990s without any problem within international law and there is a big market for it too.
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Dec 02, 2015 04:26pm
@bryan you have good chance n prospects in Pakistan be there.
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Dec 02, 2015 04:29pm
Please invest in "state of the art" education.. would be better for the world..
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Dec 02, 2015 04:37pm
Good, keep it up
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Dec 02, 2015 04:37pm
@jawad: depreciation of Pak Rupee does not necessarily mean weak or poor economic management. I think the current set up in the country, both civilian and military is doing an okay job. Let the govt. complete its term and than judge.
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Dec 02, 2015 04:42pm
O' our president can speak as well/
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Dec 02, 2015 04:49pm
Mr President, you are being rather crafty with the truth. Countries that made rapid progress invested heavily in peoples quality education in order to produce the minds that produce the machines and institutions that produce the products. Mass education was born out of necessity to satisfy the prerequisites and demands of industrialization to educate and train the people who can keep oiling the wheels of industry. PML-N and PPP the two main old established parties rely heavily on vote banks of mass illiteracy and ignorance to keep them in power and make billions from corruption. If the same people were to become educated, they will put these two incorrigibly corrupt parties in the dustbin of history and hang their leaders by the lamp posts.
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Dec 02, 2015 05:07pm
He just woke up
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Dec 02, 2015 05:11pm
Pakistan is exporting to friendly countries like China.
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Dec 02, 2015 05:12pm
Majority of commentators said Pakistan should have invested in peoples life development, education, jobs, health. Why is the Government and Army taking note of peoples feelings. As an Indian Muslim I feel Pakistan will have more progress and development if friendly relation is established with India. Freeze "K" word for next 10 years and see the difference. Bring SAARC agreement in full force open transit routes all SAARC members.
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Dec 02, 2015 06:51pm
Work with China...the only trusted friend of Pakistan...raise the standard of each and every product made in Pakistan...for Export or Local use...this will automatically raise the standard of the people of Pakistan...Honesty and Hard work is the only answer...
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Dec 02, 2015 07:09pm
Do you know which other country has a military first strategy? North Korea, and see how economically strong they are.
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Dec 02, 2015 07:09pm
@Khalids - Please can you give that advise to the so humane and law abiding and champions of freedom and human rights, UK,USA,France,Russia. If these countries stop attacking other sovereign countries on flimsy grounds the world would have been a much better place.
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Dec 02, 2015 07:17pm
@Bryan- India has never had that vision. Instead of acting with maturity India has always tried to harm Pakistan. China has on the other hand been a great support despite the differences in culture. It is very Ironic that India and Pakistan are not friends though they are culturally and linguistically so close.
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Dec 02, 2015 07:41pm
@Factual
As an engineer who was worked in defence as also medical I can tell you that it's basically the same science and technology across defence,medical, teelcoms,etc. so companies who make defence tech also have the infrastructure to build say medical gear. Most defence companies have diversified products across commercial applications. I'm not saying it's very straightforward but definitely "transferrable technologies".
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Dec 02, 2015 07:51pm
@bryan ............. in one go you said CPEC to go ahead, in next breathe you showed your anti sentiments to this progressive mode of CPEC. so why do we trust Indians ?.
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Dec 02, 2015 07:54pm
When will pakistan create its own diesel railway engine?
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Dec 02, 2015 07:54pm
Education to our community is equal to 1000 times grater...
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Dec 02, 2015 08:15pm
Defence production locally does build knowledge and indirectly does help the economy.
But what is needed is highly skilled individuals who can work both in civilian and military environments.
The state of education needs to be improved.
Incentives should be given to private companies to design and develop products for the domestic and international market.
A lot can be done but it needs leaders with great vision.
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Dec 02, 2015 08:26pm
If pakistan is making state Of the art miletry hardware then why pakistan still using same unchanged car called mehran from 1989 . Why cant scientest and engineer can make in pakistan state of the art car forcommen public
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Dec 02, 2015 08:33pm
How about more food and state of the art education?
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Dec 02, 2015 08:39pm
@kkk A lost cause
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Dec 02, 2015 11:32pm
The President's priority should NOT be on selling defense equipment. Instead, he should focus on encouraging the Parliament to work on reforms pertaining to the system of the government for reduction in its size to cut expenses by at least 60%, maximizing public service and elimination of corruption as well as on reforms in the Judiciary for provision of timely, corruption-free and inexpensive Justice. The President should lead with speaking out and in helping the government to establish good governance through a credible system of assigning periodic goals to each civil servant with measurable accountability with rewards and punishment. If the President can deliver this performance to the nation, then he will earn the respect of the people.
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Dec 03, 2015 12:34am
Not creating enemies is probably the best defence. Making friendship with all your neighbors is the best method for safety and security. There is a long way to go for the Asian nations to build these tools.
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Dec 03, 2015 06:05am
@ailly CPEC is a good idea but its scope is widely spread. Such grand projects with a gestation of over a decade have traditionally never stayed the course on IRR and timelines. E.g a rail project is multi year but its scope is just rail related. If one were add freight corridor passenger facilities storage and feeder connectors it becomes complicated and slows down project. CPEC comes as a soft loan. Land acquisition will emerge as a major challenge. Cost of inputs such as aggregates, cement, steel and labour are likely to go up whenever a major project is announced. Supply continuity is a major challenge. Consider a repayment moratorium of 7 years beyond that the project has to generate revenue. Else lenders stop tranches. in this case there is only one lender, risks are higher.
What will be the businesses on either side of CPEC corridor. Are these Pakistani businesses or Chinese outsourcing locations. i did not find a logic behind your charge and find it limited in its vision.
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Dec 03, 2015 11:33pm
Very good from Pakistan
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