Pakistan’s largest arms seller to set up office in the UAE
ABU DHABI — Pakistan’s largest arms and ammunition manufacturing facility — Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) — will open a sales and marketing office in the UAE within an year to “cater not just to the defence and military requirements of the country but also of the entire Middle East.”
This was revealed by POF chairman Lt.-Gen Omar Mahmood Hayat to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (Idex) 2017 in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
“The UAE is a very important country for us. Unfortunately, our (arms and ammunition) exports do not reflect this kind of relationship,” said Hayat. “Our exports to the UAE in the last three years were just between $5-10m (Dh18.35-36.7m) annually.
“What we are planning to do is to open a sales and marketing office in the UAE not only to cater to this country but also to the entire region. The UAE has become the commercial hub of the Middle East so it makes a lot of sense for us to establish an office within the year,” Hayat underlined.
Hayat added that POF is aggressively looking at increased sales to overseas markets with affordability and technological upgrades as the main selling points. He added that they are projecting at least a 100 per cent increase in sales only in the UAE.
To compete with global arms manufacturers, Hayat said POF is imperative to fast-track the modernisation of its manufacturing facilities and adoption of technological innovation.
“POF, founded in 1951, is an old organisation with tremendous
The UAE has become the commercial hub of the Middle East so it makes a lot of sense for us to establish an office within the year.” Lt.-Gen Omar Mahmood Hayat, chairman, POF
experience in manufacturing arms and ammunition. In the last 20 years, we have seen a decline in our sales. But in the last three years, we’ve grown bigger and invested a lot in technology so in the next four to five years we are looking at bigger sales,” Hayat said.
Hayat noted that, at present, POF has already registered a 200 per cent increase in exports and a jump of 150 per cent in local (Pakistan) supply of military tools. “POF is also going to sign several agreements with various countries to enhance mutual cooperation in defence production during the course of the five-day Idex.”
A particular rifle that Hayat is projecting good sales is the POF Eye, a corner-shot rifle, that can fire weapons around corners. He said that Pakistan is the second country in the world and the first in the Islamic world able to produce an advanced weapon system, “that can pin down targets with precision and without the shooter exposing himself.”
Meanwhile, Hayat also gave his thought on the growing threat of international terrorism. He said: “Aside from military strength, governments around the world and particularly in the region, should have a collaborative effort to fight the terrorists. ”