A delegation of Pakistan Council of Scientific & Industrial Research’s (PCSIR) Leather Research Centre (LRC), headed by Director Dr. Hafiz Rabb Nawaz called on Kornagi Association of Trade & Industry (KATI) on Tuesday. Acting President of KATI Faraz-ur-Rehman, Vice President Maheen Salman, Director TDAP Gulzar Feroz, Head of KATI’s Standing committee for R&D Syed Wajid Hussain, Head of standing committee for leather development Ejaz Ahmed Shaikh and others welcomed the delegation.
Acting President KATI Faraz-ur-Rehman expressed research and development is vital for industrial development. He noted that Pakistan’s leather exports got sucked to a certain volume due to lack of R&D and skilled human resource. He urged that to fulfill the protocols and requirements of international buyers, Industry and research institution should work together and a liaison is must to expend exports sector. Director LRC Dr. Hafiz Rabb Nawaz informed that there are 5 PHDs and three MPhil researcher working with LRC. He mentioned that the Centre provides testing, research based products and other facilities along with technical, research assistance and skill development. He highlighted that MoUs with several universities had been signed to provide large scale research venues to upcoming generation of researches. He shared the Centre is working on enzymes and dyes and also formulated vegetable based fatliquor, we are ready to assist industry for product development and efficient treatment of wastage. He suggested that to form an effective liaison between industry and the Centre, joint working groups of leather industrialists and Researchers should be formed.
Gulzar Firoz viewed that to meet environment related protocols of GSP Plus and Leather working group could be enormous challenge for the industry and only a better working relation between industry and research institution can make it possible. He said efficient treatment is the need of time and LRC can help us out to design cost effective and efficient treatment. Syed Wajid Hussain and Shaikh Ejaz Ahmed also stressed on the need of coordination between the Tanners and research institutions. Chairman Pakistan Tanners Association, Kamran Habib also joined the meeting and discussed research and assistance suggestion with the Centre, he also appreciated the efforts of KATI to bring together all stakeholders of the industry on a table.
Photo Caption: Acting president KATI Faraz-ur-Rehman presenting shield to Director leather research centre (PCSIR) Dr. Hafiz Rabb Nawaz. On the occasion Gulzar Firoz, Maheen Salman, Syed Wajid Hussain, Aijad Ahmed, Dr. Samiuzzaman, Kamran Habib, Syed Tariq Hussain and Aziz Ahmed are also present.