*Finance Committee Chairman Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra and Senator Haseeb Khan visit 2nd day of PakPlas2017
The National Assembly’s Finance Committee chairman has invited budget proposals from plastic manufacturers for the growth and betterment of plastic industry in Pakistan.
In this connection, the committee has invited all stakeholders on this Wednesday in Islamabad for their input and proposals, told MNA Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh.
He was talking to media persons during his visit to PakPlas2017 – The International Exhibition of Plastic Machinery, Equipment, Raw Material & Technology on its second day here at Expo Centre Karachi. The expo was organised by Pakistan Plastic Manufacturers Association (PPMA).
Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh said that plastic was part and parcel of every field of life. Polymer industry is very important and value added industry of Pakistan economy, but unfortunately, it could not get incentives from the government.
“Plastic industry is not getting any support from the government as compared to other sectors like textile industry that enjoys much better incentives. In the world, China has secured the first position in the industry, USA second and India is on third ranking but Pakistan stands nowhere in the field of polymers,” he lamented.
Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh said that his committee has made efforts to boost plastic industry in the country. I appreciate PPMA efforts for sparing its time and money for the benefit of the plastics business, he appreciated.
On the second day of the expo, deputy mayor of Karachi Arshad Vohra and Senator Haseeb Khan also visited and showed interest in the latest technology used in plastic industry worldwide.
Talking to media, Deputy Mayor Arshad Vohra said that 30-40 per cent plastic is used in daily life and future will be more depended on plastics. Plastics are projected to be the fastest-growing segment all over the world, he added.
Senator Haseeb Khan said that the USA is earning 100 trillion to 300 trillion dollars from plastic industry annually. We should adopt concrete measures to bring plastic industry into the mainstream, he urged.
Haseeb Khan said that in the past we used to import raw material from Saudi Arabia but in organising such expos, foreign raw material producers are invited here in Pakistan which is very healthy and cost effective for local industry. I am now a plastic manufacturer too. I produce all kinds of plastic bottles for my medicine brands, he informed.
PPMA Patron Zakaria Usman announced that the PPMA would arrange an expo in Lahore soon for Punjab’s industrialists.
On this occasion, PPMA Chairman Ehteshamud Din highlighted exhibition features and informed that exhibition is divided into two halls one is for raw material producers from the Middle East, France, China, Oman and Taiwan, while second hall is dedicated for machinery manufacturers from Korea, China, Malaysia, Taiwan etc.
“We pay higher electricity charges as compared to other sectors. The government should reduce our cost of production. India’s plastic industry is lucrative because its government has given incentives to their manufacturers. We also demand government for incentives,” he concluded.
