National Auto Policy draft reaches final stage after the Prime Minister’s Office addresses 49 observations, while the government also considers establishing another steel mill.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is expected to announce Pakistan’s new National Auto Policy after the draft framework reaches its final stage of preparation.
According to a briefing shared with the National Assembly Standing Committee on Industries and Production on Thursday, all 49 initial observations raised by the Prime Minister’s Office regarding the draft policy have been addressed.
The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) informed the committee that the finalised draft would be presented to Shehbaz Sharif on November 6 for executive review.
Subject to approval, the prime minister is expected to hold a press conference on November 7 to formally announce the new policy framework.
The meeting, chaired by Syed Hafeezuddin, MNA, also discussed security concerns at Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) and proposals for expanding domestic steel production.
The committee expressed serious concern over increasing thefts of valuable state assets at Pakistan Steel Mills, including copper wiring, scrap and essential industrial equipment.
The parliamentary panel directed the Ministry of Industries and Production to prepare and submit a comprehensive security plan to prevent further losses.
It also called for strict monitoring and transparent investigations into security lapses to identify and prosecute those involved in illegal activities.
Separately, the committee was briefed on plans to revive Pakistan Steel Mills and a proposal to establish another steel mill to increase domestic production capacity.
The proposed facility aims to reduce Pakistan’s reliance on imported steel, with the briefing highlighting approximately $5 billion in steel imports.
The meeting was attended by several members of the National Assembly, including Kiran Imran Dar, Romina Khurshid Alam, Dr Mahesh Kumar Malani and Dr Mahreen Razzaq Bhutto, alongside the Secretary of Industries and Production and senior government officials.