Defense Committee seeks draft legislation to convert DEPO into an Authority.

Islamabad -- The Parliamentary Committee on Defense on Tuesday assured its full support to the management of Defense Export Promotion Organization (DEPO) to convert it into a Defense Export Promotion Authority (DEPA).

Director General (DEPO) Mag Gen Farhat Abbas Sani, HI (M), informed the Committee that draft legislation for creation of DEPA was forwarded to the Cabinet for approval by the Parliament.

The Committee suggested the department to share the proposed draft legislation with the members of the Committee. After consideration, the Committee will be in a position to support the said Bill in view of the need of the said authority.

Briefing the Committee about the role of the organization, Director General (DEPO) Mag Gen Farhat Abbas Sani, HI (M) said that the organization has earned a huge revenue of 843.306 million US dollar from 2007 to 2019 by exporting of defense products to the world.

Giving brief glance, he said the organization is working for last 13 years and every year, it receives yearly extension from the government while only source of income is International Defense Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS). The DEPO has to look towards the Commerce Ministry for funds to provide support to the private sector working in the field of defense production but if when the authority will have their own funds, it will be in a better position to encourage our local vendors, said Mag Gen Farhat.

'If this organization is made an Authority through Act of the Parliament, it will be able to contribute more efficiently to generate national wealth' he said.

Responding to the different quarries, he...