Karachi:Federal Secretary Textile Division, Syed Iftikhar Hussain Babar launched the 3rd phase of Stitching Machine Operator Training (SMOT) Program at PHMA’s Institute of Knitwear Technology Karachi (PHMA-IKTK) Thursday which was a sequel to Textile Ministry’s initiative taken in June 2006 under EDF funding being managed by Textile Skill Development Board (TSDB) to provide value-added textile industry skilled workforce.
Federal Secretary unveiled the plaque to launch SMOT-III program to train 1800 unskilled workers through the PHMA’s Institutes in Karachi and Lahore along with PRGMEA’s Institutes and through some industrial units in Punjab with allocated funding of 33 million. During 2 months training program, a stipend of Rs5,000 per month shall be given to less privileged class for the purpose. He recalled that under SMOT-I and SMOT-II Programs 8500 workers were trained from 2006 to 2011 whereby trainings were conducted in the industrial units.
Earlier, PHMA Central Chairman, Muhammad Jawed Bilwani welcomed Secretary Textile Division, Syed Iftikhar Hussain Babar to PHMA Institute of Knitwear Technology Karachi who was accompanied by Textile Commissioner and Secretary TSDB, Muhammad Farooq Khan. In his welcome address Jawed Bilwani appreciated that the Secretary Textile accorded priority to give deserving attention to the Textile Skill Development Programs to provide Value Added Textile Sector required workforce to enhance export production and called immediate meeting of TSDB after lapse of five years.
He appreciated that after the meeting the designed program as per plan has been implemented on immediate basis. He also lauded Secretary Textile to translate the demand of Textile Sector before the Prime Minister to spend the major contribution of Export Development Fund (EDF) to uplift the textile sector. He added that the Secretary agreed to his suggestion to support the unskilled workforce from less privilege areas while providing them stipend to make the SMOT-III program meaningful.
He articulated that PHMA-IKTK was leading as the most progressive institute under its managing committee led by Saleem Parekh while offering various technical training programs in collaboration with National and International Organizations. PHMA-IKTK endeavours to introduce pick and drop facility to encourage female workforce to get the training in order to achieve employment in the industry or opt for entrepreneurship.
Secretary Textile in his address at the launching ceremony apprised that The SMOT-III program was launched to provide training opportunities to fresh trainees both male and female in the area of stitching in order to provide skilled workforce to the industry. The decision taken three months back in TDSB meeting was turned into reality within three months. He promised that the Ministry will accord genuine consideration to the proposal of Jawed Bilwani to establish state of the art SITE campus of PHMA-IKTK. He added that the Textile Division is focusing on taking necessary steps and measures to facilitate value added textile industry to enhance textile exports. Ministry has also finalized a project to establish 1000 industrial stitching units across Pakistan which shall be a joint venture of Government and Private Sector executed through SMEDA.
He informed that textile sector is in the priority list of the sitting Government. The project of Pakistan Textile City which was shelved by the previous government has been revived by the Government of Imran Khan and its plan shall be finalized in next few months. Efforts are also underway to complete
Karachi Garment City Project. He concluded with his assurance to extend best possible support the textile industry.
Textile Commissioner, Muhammad Farooq Khan also exchanged views on the importance of Textile Industry and briefed about SMOT-III program. Participants were present on the occasion were Babar Khan, Member, Managing Committee, PHMA-IKTK and Former Chairman, PHMA; Riaz Ahmed, Tariq Munir, Aslam Karsaz, Jabbar Gajiani, Principal (PHMA-IKTK), Principal (PRGTTI) and representatives of Ministry, TCO, PRGMEA and PHMA.