The Express Tribune

State-owned manufacturers of fighter aircraft, tanks and armoured personnel carriers have taken on board local engineering firms and hi-tech automotive part makers in the private sector to push for more self-reliance in defence goods production.Officials of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Heavy Industries Taxila held meetings with members of the Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers (Paapam) and dozens of domestic engineering companies last week.Outgoing Heavy Industries Taxila Chairman Lieutenant General Syed Wajid Hussain told The Express Tribune recently that production lines of the local auto part manufacturers could be utilised in the production of defence products like tanks and armoured personnel carriers.An official of the Pakistan Air Force revealed that the internationally praised Super Mushshak training aircraft was composed of more than 70% local parts. “Now, they are exploring areas for using more localised parts in the manufacturing of JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft and others.”He added they hardly used 200 to 250 precise parts in an aircraft that needed an estimated 16,000 parts. “The filler parts can be acquired from local manufacturers.”Paapam Chairman Mashhood Khan said, “Initially, we will utilise our existing production lines to provide some of the engine and body parts to the defence product industry. In phase-II, if needed, we will invest in setting up new assembly units.”At present, the association is supplying 50-60% parts to Japanese car manufacturers in Pakistan. It also provides over 90% parts to tractor and motorcycle manufacturers in the country.Paapam members will soon pay a visit to production lines at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, Kamra in order to understand needs of the defence industry.“Several of the association’s member companies are mature enough to work for the aerospace industry and they are expected to play a role in aircraft manufacturing and maintenance,” he said.Defence Production Secretary Lieutenant General (Retired) Syed Muhammad Owais said recently local defence goods production had saved foreign exchange worth Rs120 billion ($1.14 billion) in the last one and a half years till June 30, 2016.Similarly, Federal Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer Hussain told media that defence exports had increased by $75 to $100 million during the three-year tenure of the current government.Speaking at the meeting with auto part makers, Pakistan Aeronautical Complex Chairman Air Marshal Arshad Malik gave an overview of the excellent order book and work load at the complex and its ability to localise assembly of military and training planes at Kamra.“Kamra values specialist companies from the automotive sector who could take a step further into aerospace component manufacturing,” a Paapam statement quoted Malik as saying.Published in, November 30, 2016.Like Business on Facebook , follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.