ISLAMABAD:Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) has offered the convicts in Punjab jails free specialised training to produce skilled wood workers for meeting the ever increasing demands of the furniture industry.
Talking to Inspector General of Prisons Mubashar Ahmad Khan in Lahore on Wednesday, Chief Executive Officer Pakistan Furniture Council Mian Kashif Ashfaq offered free-of-cost training package and discussed its modalities and scope of enhancement of cooperation between public and private sector, according to a press release received here.
He said that at present, Pakistan is facing acute shortage of highly skilled wood workers. “So we decided in principle to meet this alarming scarcity of artisans by training the convicts on modern scientific lines to meet market driven demands.”
He further offered that on successful completion of proper training, all convicts after release, will be absorbed in furniture manufacturing factories with good pay packages.
PFC Advisor Dr Waqar said on the occasion, “PFC may also consider offering reasonable good monthly stipend to all convicts trainees to attract maximum number of participants.”
Mian Kashif said initially, a 6-month short course would be lunched in Central Jails of Lahore, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad and Rawaplindi and PFC would arrange the top class trainers for coaching. He said special lectures would also be delivered on the importance of growing more and more useful trees to offset the hovering threat of climate change and meet wood needs of the country.
IG Mubashar Ahmad Khan appreciated the goodwill gesture of PFC and constituted a high level committee headed by Assistant Inspector General of Prisons Punjab (Industries) to further discuss the feasibility of this generous offer and work out a joint strategy to give final shape. Assistant Inspector General Prisons SSP Chaudhry Ejaz Asghar was also present on the occasion.