CPEC: Pakistani Minister directs to make SEZs more industry-friendly

Sialkot: Minister for Industries and Production, Makhdoom Syed Murtaza Mahmood has directed to make the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)’s Special Economic Zones (SEZs) more industry-friendly.

He gave these directions during his visit to the Surgical Instruments Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (SIMAP), Sialkot.

The minister ordered to review the existing rules and regulations of Export Processing Zones Authority(EPZA) and SEZs to make them more industry-friendly to increase ease of doing business in the country.

He stressed that all the provincial and Federal organization and departments need to collaborate to solve problems faced by the surgical industry for further increasing exports of surgical sector.

The minister assured full support of the government to address all challenges faced by the surgical instruments’ manufacturing industry of the country.

Mahmood advised to take on board all the relevant organizations which include Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Commerce, Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR), Pakistan National Accreditation Council (PNAC) and more for an early resolution of Medical Device Regulations (MDR) which will come in force in 2024 and may seriously affect the exports of this sector if compliance is not achieved by the industry.

He assured to seek possibilities at the government level to negotiate with other international certification bodies for providing MDR solutions to the industry.

He advised the industry to identify two to three medical devices for reverse engineering and local manufacturing with the support of Ministry of Industry attached department.

Mahmood was accompanied by Chairman Engineering Development Board (EDB) and senior officials of the Ministry of Industries and Production and Chairman Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA), Chief Executive Officers of EDB, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA), National Productivity Organization (NPO), Pakistan Industrial Technical Assistance Center (PITAC) and Director Technology Upgradation and Skill Development Company (TUSDEC).