Banking sector: NIBF provides highly trained manpower: Achakzai

National Institute of Banking and Finance (NIBF) is playing a major role to provide highly trained manpower for the banking sector of Pakistan as well as other regional countries, said Allahuddin Achakzai, Senior Joint Director and Training Manager NIBF.
He was addressing the participants of 44th International Commercial Banking Course in Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) here Tuesday. He underlined the economic importance of Faisalabad and said that commercial banks are part and parcel of the economic growth. He said that under training bankers from different countries will have an opportunity to directly interact with the business tycoons of Faisalabad who are making export and dealing with various commercial banks of different countries. This visit will also help them to fully understand the economic importance of Faisalabad and its linkages with the commercial banks; he said and added that this practical knowledge will help them to introduce qualitative as well as quantitative improvements in their concerned banks.
Earlier in his address of welcome, Rana Sikandar-e-Azam senior vice president Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry welcomed the foreign delegates and said that NIBF is extending best services to the bankers hailing from different countries. He appreciated the approach of NIBF that has arranged special study tours for delegates in addition to arranging theoretic lectures and presentations. He said that Faisalabad is 'Textile Hub' of Pakistan. Out of the total exports of Pakistan, the contribution of textile sector is $12billion and out of it, Faisalabad is contributing $6billion. He said that the textile sector is also providing jobs to 38 percent workforce of Pakistan. He particularly thanked Deputy Chief Manager State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Miss Fouzia Aslam, who arranged this meeting which will be beneficial for both local exporters and bankers from different countries.
Miss Fouzia Aslam in her brief address appreciated the hospitality of FCCI, who is always co-operative in arranging special sittings for the participants of different banking course in NIBF.Responding to the questions of foreign delegates, Engineer Ahmed Hassan Vice President FCCI said that One Belt, One Road (OBOR) is a game changer which will connect 72 percent population of the world. Thus, it will generate much needed economic activity not only in Pakistan but throughout this region including land locked countries of Central Asia. Regarding Pakistan-Afghanistan Trade, he said that these neighbouring countries are very near to each and other and Afghanistan will also be the immediate beneficiary of CPEC. He said that this project has not yet been fully understood, and added that it will give 10 times more benefit than we were expecting today.
He further told that the R&D section of FCCI was critically analysing this mega project while, it has also published a comprehensive study paper on it. He said that out of 200 countries of the world, Pakistani exports are limited to only few. He said that we are providing our members necessary information and facilitating them to explore these virgin and untapped markets. Responding of yet another question, he said that CPEC has four components; first is Energy, then transport, Gawadar and fourth is industrial co-operation. During this last phase, Pakistan will launch joint ventures to get modern and latest technology from China. In this connection, many Chinese companies are already in touch with us.
Engineer Ahmed Hassan said that we have shortfall of 6200 megawatt of electricity whereas the projects in pipeline will generate 7000 megawatt of electricity which will help us to fully utilise the installed capacity of our industrial units. He told that basically Pakistan is an agriculture country but our agriculture production is 50 percent less than China. "We are also collaborating with China in this field to enhance our agriculture production", he added.
Later, Rana Sikandar-e-Azam presented FCCI shield to Mr. Allauddin Achakzai while Engineer Ahmed Hassan presented book on CPEC to the Deputy Chief Manager SBP Miss Fouzia Aslam. This book was also presented to the foreign delegates. Dr Habib Aslam Gaba Chairman Industrial Academia Linkages told that this book would be uploaded on FCCI website very soon.