ISLAMABAD – Federation Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and National Productivity Organisation (NPO) of Federal Ministry of Industries and Production agreed for promoting and developing Cottage Industry in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region for increasing employment opportunities at local level. In pursuance of a project assigned to NPO on “Developing and Promoting Cottage Industry of Gilgit-Baltistan” as a part of national development package for GB region, an important meeting was held in the office (NPO).
NPO Chief Executive Muhammad Alamgir Chaudhry chaired the meeting. The meeting was attended by Chairman FPCCI Capital Office Qurban Ali, President Hunza Chamber Mehboob Rabbani, former Vice President Gilgit Chamber, Mushtaq Hussain, former EC member FPCCI Shafqat Karim, Hunza Chamber Miss Rubina and Rahmat Karim and Engineer Mr Zeeshan Abbas, Department of Industry and Commerce, Gilgit-Baltistan, including officials from various departments.
In the meeting, several projects were discussed. Meeting members made consensus on trade promotion, mainly focused on handicraft industry in Gilgit-Baltistan. FPCCI and NPO agreed to commence various projects for trade promotion, agriculture, handicraft, stoneware, wooden craft and development of carpet industry in Gilgit-Baltistan. While briefing the participants, the NPO CEO the federal government was paying special attention to the promotion of handicraft, stoneware, wooden craft and carpet making in Gilgit-Baltistan. In this regard, NPO would organise a programme from March 16-18 in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Professionals working in industry, agriculture, the public sector and services could be benefited from this. The NPO chief executive further said such programmes could bring tremendous change in the fields of industry, trade, agriculture and services. Alangir said the GB package would bring economic revolution in GB region leading to major developments in the region which will eventually improve the living standards of the local people.
He said NPO has been assigned responsibility to develop PC-1 for one of the development project i.e. “Developing and Promoting Cottage Industry of GB “as a part of the GB development package. The objective of the project was to build the capacity of stakeholders of the selected crafts to develop and promote the GB cottage industry, he said.
NPO Pakistan was to provide awareness as well as necessary training facilities to increase the productivity and also highlighted the objectives of the (NPO). Chairman, FPCCI Capital Office, Qurban Ali, while appreciating the role of NPO in the fields of industry, public sector agriculture and services, said that FPCCI and all the chambers of Commerce and Industry of Gilgit-Baltistan are ready at to cooperate with all governmental and non-governmental organisations, including the NPO, for the promotion to training of entrepreneurs and provision of technology as our goal is to serve the business community.
He informed that FPCCI in collaboration with NPO Pakistan will organise a seminar on trade potential in GB on March 16 2021 at Sarena Gilgit.
He suggested to promote agro-tourism in GB and said that NPOs and other government agencies should consider combining the agriculture and tourism jointly that would lead to better economic in growth GB.
He said the government should waive taxes on machinery for the promotion of industry and trade and take steps to provide training to business people in related fields.
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