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The draft report on "CHALLENGES OF WTO & STRATEGY" will be presented before
the full Senate's Special Committee (SSC) on WTO meeting during the first week
of October 2005. It was decided in a meeting of the Draft Committee of SSC for
finalization of the said report, which was held under its Chairman Federal
Minister for Privatisation & Investment Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh here today.
The report has been prepared under the guidance of Draft Committee headed by
Senator Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, members Senator Prof. Khurshid Ahmed, Senator
Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Senator Muhammad Anwar
Bhinder, Senator Dr. Muhammad Akbar Khwaja and a group of experts.
The report includes recommendations gathered through presentations by 27
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 27 stakeholders included 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, the Pharmaceutical Association who made
presentations on challenges confronting, Pakistan's Engineering, Automobile,
Pharmaceutical industries, Pakistan Carpet and Surgical manufactures and
exports Associations, Millat Tractors, Pakistan Institute of Legislative
Development & Transparency, Indus Motor Company, Atlas Group, Pakistan Suzuki
Motor Company, P.I.D.E, WTO Watch Group, Trait Centre for WTO & Business
Studies, W.T.O Council members, Sustainable Agriculture Action Group,
Sustainable Development Policy Institute, (SDPI), Ministries of Commerce,
Agriculture, Industries & Production, Health, Science & Technology, Cabinet
Division (PIPRO) and National Tariff Commission (NTC).
The draft report discusses the challenges and the implications and impact of
various agreements under WTO regime. It will create awareness among the masses
on WTO related issues. The Report is prepared 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 report also focuses on substantive issues and WTO's misuse by the
developed countries, proposing strategies after reduction of subsidiaries. The
report will be made available on Senate and WTO web sites and will be
published in English and Urdu after its finalization.
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.