Japan International Co-operation Agency (Jica) in collaboration with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) has initiated the textile industry up-gradation programme.
According to a spokesman of the Smeda, a meeting was held in chair with Shahab Khawaja, Chief Executive Officer of Smeda, to review the progress as well as future line of action in this regard.
The meeting was attended by the senior volunteers from Jica Kunihiro Sakai, Kotaro Otaka, Manabu Suzuki, co-ordinator Jica and K. Tamaki, Jica advisor to BOI.
From Smeda, Anjum Ahmed, General Manager DC&IL, Shahid Chaudhry, GM, TSG, Ijaz Majeed GM, Sindh, Khalid Kifah, head, Smeda Punjab, Fayyaz Riaz, Assistant Manager and Asad Zahoor, Manager, Sector Strategy and Analysis Department attended the meeting.
As per an agreement with Jica, the agency is assisting Smeda in up-gradation of the textile industry by providing technical experts in five sub-sectors: spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing & finishing and garments.
The senior volunteers to be deputed by Jica for this purpose would be stationed in Smeda office, to provide assistance to the local industry in improving product quality, productivity, management systems and adopting the latest technology.
One Jica expert on garment industry along with a co-ordinator has already arrived at Pakistan. Whereas, a batch of three more experts would be arriving by midst of April next.
The garment expert and the co-ordinator, who arrived at Lahore in December last, have been visiting the garment units in Lahore and Karachi.
In order to fully utilise the expertise of the Jica experts, Smeda management has decided to set up a separate Jica cell hiring some local experts who would be able to carry on the up-gradation activities after departure of the Jica's senior volunteers.