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The draft report on "CHALLENGES OF WTO & STRATEGY" will be presented before
the Senate's Special Committee (SSC) on WTO by January 10, 2005. It was
decided in a meeting of SSC, which was held under its Chairman Federal
Minister for Privatisation & Investment Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh here today.
The report is being prepared by a group of experts under the guidance of the
SSC members in the light of the recommendations gathered through presentations
by various stakeholders including legislatures, private sector, NGOs,
government functionaries and the general public, identifying the role to be
played by the respective stakeholders indicating assistance from the
government to benefit from the opportunities in the next three years
transitional period.
The SSC proposed that while discussing the challenges and the implications
and impact of various agreements under WTO regime, the report should create
awareness among the masses on WTO related issues. The SSC members of the
Report Committee also emphasized to include unfinished areas in the report in
a proactive manner indicating lapses, providing guidance for the government as
regard to present and future policies in the largest interest of the country
irrespective of any political outlook, the members opined.
The members suggested that the report should also focus on substantive issues
and WTO's misuse by the developed countries, proposing strategies after
reduction of subsidiaries. The report will be finalized by SSC during the
third week of January 2005.
The SSC had so far gathered proposals from the representatives of
Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industries (FPCCI), All Pakistan
Textile Mills Association (APTAMA), Food, Agriculture & Livestock sectors,
State Engineering Corporation, Pakistan Engineering Development Board,
Pakistan Automobile Motors Association, Pakistan National Accreditation
Council (PNAC) on the Business allocated to them under the rules and
Government's Preparedness to face the challenges of WTO regime coming into
force in 2005 and the Pharmaceutical Association who made presentations on
challenges confronting Pakistan's Engineering, Automobile, Pharmaceutical
industries, Pakistan Carpet and Surgical manufactures and exports Associations
in the wake of WTO regime and their solutions in its previous meetings.
The 16 members Special Committee headed by Senator Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh was
constituted by the House on September 22, 2003. The members of the
Special Committee include Senators Prof. Khurshid Ahmed, Mushahid Hussain
Syed, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Nisar Ahmad Memon, Dr. Muhammad Akbar Khawaja, Lt.
Gen. Retd Javed Ashraf, Syed Dilawar Abbas, Muhammad Azam Khan Swati,Miss.
Anisa Zeb Tahirkheli, Waqar Ahmed Khan, Ilyas Ahmed Bilour, Mir Muhammad
Naseer Mengal, Muhammad Abbas Komaili, Dr. Shahzad Waseem, Mrs. Roshan
Khursheed Bharucha and Ch. Muhammad Anwar Bhinder.