By Commerce Reporter
LAHORE, April 16 — The Chief Executive Officer of the National Productivity Organization (NPO), Muhammad Alamgir Chaudhry, visited the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and met with the business community, including LCCI President Faheem ur Rehman Saigol.
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Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh and Executive Committee members Rana Shaban Akhtar, Irfan Qureshi, and Mohsin Bashir were also present on the occasion, while NPO General Manager Aftab Khan joined the meeting via Zoom.
During the meeting, LCCI President Faheem ur Rehman Saigol welcomed the NPO CEO and said that increasing productivity, innovation, and efficiency in the industrial sector is essential to improve Pakistan’s competitiveness. He stressed the need for better use of limited resources and said that close cooperation with NPO could promote efficiency-based growth across different business sectors.
He added that LCCI is always working to provide better facilities to its members and support business growth, and collaboration with NPO is a timely need. He emphasized the importance of modern technology, lean management, and resource optimization in industrial units, suggesting that LCCI and NPO should jointly organize training programs and workshops.
He further said that instead of general reports, productivity audits of different industrial sectors should be conducted to identify real weaknesses and propose practical solutions. He described SMEs as the backbone of the economy and said that special support programs are needed for them, as they have limited access to financial facilities in Pakistan compared to regional countries.
He also highlighted the need for joint research, data sharing, and policy development to promote industrial growth, along with prioritizing green productivity projects to ensure environmental protection alongside economic development.
NPO CEO Muhammad Alamgir Chaudhry, in his address, thanked the LCCI President and participants for the meeting, calling it an important opportunity to strengthen links between industry and NPO. He said his presentation focused on lean management and productivity improvement, highlighting international best practices and past experiences.
He noted that a major issue repeatedly observed while working with various chambers and trade associations is the high cost of electricity, which seriously affects industrial competitiveness. However, he added that electricity cost is not the only issue—industrial inefficiency is also a major challenge.
Citing an example, he said that many ceramic units in Gujranwala still use outdated technology, while modern machines abroad complete the same work in minutes. As a result, countries like China produce goods at lower cost and remain more competitive, putting pressure on local industries.
He further said that although electricity prices cannot be reduced immediately, internal efficiency can significantly reduce costs. He added that even large industrial units waste 15 to 20 percent energy, so improving internal controls is necessary.
He said that sector-wise productivity audits can help identify specific issues and solutions, and cooperation between NPO and LCCI through joint training programs on modern technology, lean management, and resource optimization is essential for industrial development.
