ISLAMABAD: Advisor to the Prime Minister on Commerce and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood chaired a meeting of the committee to oversee the exports of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) ensuring that prices in domestic market do not increase.
The meeting was attended by Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain, the Federal Minister for Industries and Production, Muhammad Hammad Azhar, and other stakeholders. The purpose of the committee is to review the stock position of PPE items in Pakistan and make decisions, based on the future requirement projections, regarding continuation of exports of these items.
Talking to the committee members, Razak Dawood stated that a number of businessmen had approached him for allowing export of N95 masks, which was banned by the Cabinet. However, he added, exports of N95 masks could not be allowed at that moment, unless it was backed by statistical evidence that local demand was being met and the production was in surplus. The Advisor reiterated that Pakistan needed to fully exploit the opportunities arising out of Covid-19, in terms of increase in demand for PPEs worldwide, but with a strategy to have enough supplies available in the country.
While discussing the requirements for PPE, the Advisor underscored that the Federal and Provincial Health Departments should work on projections for future demand so that an accurate picture could be painted in relation to the export of those items.
Razak Dawood further stated that Ministry of Commerce would go to the next NCOC meeting to get all provincial stakeholders on board with regards to provision of precise information, which could help the Committee to take timely decisions as per its mandate.
During the meeting, Razak Dawood stated that the export of allowed items of PPE was providing impetus to meet the export targets of the government.
Federal Minister for Science and Technology stated that local industry had enhanced its capacity for PPE production and "we are receiving interest from foreign investors as well." The Committee expressed satisfaction that no shortage of PPE had been reported ever since the export of majority of items was allowed by the Federal Cabinet.
On June 2, Federal Cabinet lifted the ban on export of all items of PPE, hand sanitizers, disposable gowns and gloves, face shields, biohazard bags, goggles and shoe covers, made from various classes of materials, including woven and non-woven chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), Polypropylene (PP), spunbond and meltblown, with the exception of N-95 Masks and Surgical Masks and Tyvek Suits.
The Cabinet also constituted a Committee under Advisor to the Prime Minister, Abdul Razak Dawood, represented by all relevant stakeholders, to review the local stock position of PPEs, from time to time, in order to ensure that exports do not result in local shortages.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
Comments
Comments are closed.