HAFEEZ TO CHAIR SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE (SSC) ON WTO MEETING TOMORROW

Islamabad, March 11, 2004

The Federal Minister for Privatisation & Investment Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh will chair a meeting of the Senate's Special Committee (SSC) on "CHALLENGES OF WTO" in the Committee Room No.2, Parliament House, Islamabad on March 12, 2004 on Friday afternoon at 4 p.m, on his arrival from Germany where he led Pakistani delegation and addressed the 11th Munich Management Colloquium.

Special Committee will be briefed by CEO, Traits Center for WTO & Business  Studies Mr. Muhammad Abbas Raza and Director Coordinator, WTO Watch Group  Dr. Zafar Mirza on the Challenges confronting Pakistan in the wake of WTO  regime and their solutions.

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 and the Pharmaceutical Association who made presentations on challenges confronting Pakistan's Engineering, Automobile, Pharmaceutical industries and experts.

The 16 members Special Committee headed by Senator Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh  was constituted by the House on September 22, 2003 on a resolution moved by  Senator Ch. Muhammad Anwar Bhinder to suggest ways and means to face the  challenges of W.T.O coming into force in 2005.

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.