Speakers at an international conference here said that various rapid industrial transformation initiatives were being taken for the sustained growth and development of the economy by improving industrial competitiveness, WealthPK reports.

The International Conference on Productivity Accreditation and Certification for Pakistan is being held as a continuation of the commemoration of the golden jubilee of the Asian Productivity Organisation (APO), Japan, to showcase the productivity improvement journeys in the Asia and Pacific region.

The conference is being organised by National Productivity Organisation (NPO) in collaboration with APO, according to a press release received by WealthPK.

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Minister for Industries and Production Syed Murtaza Mahmud appreciated the role of APO in the development of the Asia Pacific region. He felicitated the secretary general of APO on the diamond jubilee of the organisation. He said that by working in tandem with similar organisations, the APO and NPOs would be able to find solutions to longstanding problems faced by the region.

Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Industries and Production, said on the occasion that various rapid industrial transformation initiatives were being taken for the sustained growth and development of the economy by improving industrial competitiveness.

He said that APO was playing a major role to promote productivity drive in the region. “APO’s services are reorienting the requirements of the current era of competitiveness both in the domestic and global markets and support export sectors in enhancing competitiveness and yielding higher productivity culture in the country,” he added.

Various international and national speakers including people from Cambodia, Malaysia, Fiji, Nepal, the Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Iran and the Philippines are participating in the event.

Iftikhar Ali said that the initiative would play an important role in the reversal of the economy through the enforcement of international certification standards in Pakistan.

He expressed satisfaction over the participation of a large and diverse group of international and local professionals in the conference. He hoped that through the active participation and sharing of international experience, Pakistan would definitely achieve the status of a certification body. He lauded the efforts of NPO for promoting the productivity culture in Pakistan through its vision of ‘Economically Productive and Globally Competitive Pakistan’.

APO Secretary-General Dr Indra Pradana Singawinata extended full support to Pakistan for facilitating and strengthening the APO’s mandate in the country. He said that it was a fortunate moment as representatives from APO member countries were reviewing the efforts to enhance the capabilities of NPOs through accreditation programmes. The accreditation programme is one of the latest initiatives of the APO to raise its visibility as a leading productivity organisation.

Recognising the competency and credibility of NPOs or their affiliates as APO-accredited certification bodies (CBs) will build APO brand awareness, cultivate and expand a community of experts, and strengthen its leadership in the area of productivity.

He said that after the introduction of the programme in 2018, the NPOs of Malaysia and Vietnam successfully completed the processes and requirements to become APO-accredited CBs in 2021 while India, Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, and Turkey would be joining them soon.

Dr Indra Pradana Singawinata appreciated the government of Pakistan for hosting the conference. He thanked Federal Minister for Industries and Production Syed Murtaza Mahmud for attending the conference despite his busy schedule.

He also lauded the NPO of Pakistan chief Muhammad Alamgir Chaudhry and his staff members, who worked tirelessly behind the scene to ensure the successful conference.

Muhammad Alamgir Chaudhry said on the occasion that the status of APO accredited certification body would provide new horizons to enhance productivity in Pakistan, according to the press release received by WealthPK.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk