Govt eyes UNIDO help for industrial growth
Adviser to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan held a meeting with a delegation of the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) to discuss industrial development, international cooperation, climate change, clean energy, competitiveness and productivity enhancement.
He stated that Pakistan was moving towards industrial growth, economic stability and the adoption of modern technologies. He emphasised that the country's large youth population represented a significant national asset, but sustainable economic progress and employment generation could not be achieved without industrialisation.
The adviser noted that Pakistan's first-ever National Industrial Policy had been formulated to provide a strategic direction for industrial growth, enhance productivity and strengthen the country's economic foundations. He underscored that addressing the trade deficit required export-led economic growth alongside the promotion of import substitution and local manufacturing.
Khan said that Pakistan possessed considerable untapped potential in both industry and agriculture. He stressed the need to utilise the country's natural resources more effectively, develop value-added industries and strengthen domestic production to create employment opportunities and improve export competitiveness.
Highlighting the challenges posed by climate change, he said that its adverse effects were significantly impacting Pakistan's agricultural output and industrial production. He underlined the importance of international cooperation, sustainable energy solutions and climate-resilient industrial development.
The adviser highlighted Pakistan's natural resource potential, particularly in gemstones and other valuable minerals. He noted that industrial opportunities were expanding across diverse sectors, ranging from olive oil production to gemstone processing, and called for developing local value chains to maximise economic returns from the country's resources.
Discussing the transition towards cleaner transportation, Haroon Akhtar Khan said that Pakistan was witnessing significant progress in the electric vehicle sector. He pointed out that the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Policy had already been introduced and efforts were underway to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and expand charging infrastructure across the country.
He further stated that the promotion of solar energy had opened new opportunities for rural communities and the agricultural sector. In this regard, he highlighted the proposed Battery Energy Storage System Policy, which would support the development of local manufacturing capabilities for electric vehicle batteries and strengthen Pakistan's domestic industrial base.
Khan emphasised that Unido could play an important role in supporting Pakistan's industrial transformation through technical cooperation, technology transfer, capacity building and investment facilitation. He identified industrial development, renewable energy, climate resilience and local manufacturing as promising areas for enhanced collaboration.
The Unido delegation appreciated the opportunities for cooperation with Pakistan and highlighted the importance of sharing expertise, technical skills and best practices among member countries. The delegation identified renewable energy, particularly solar energy, as a promising area of collaboration.
It also underlined the importance of developing renewable energy infrastructure, strengthening industrial value chains and improving productivity through modern technologies and innovative industrial practices. It noted that enhanced cooperation could help attract investment, facilitate technological advancement and create new employment opportunities.