Major Gen Zaheer Ahmed Khan,

           HI (M) (Retd)

Chief Executive Officer

Pakistan Steel

 

 

 

1.    Maj Gen (R) Zaheer Ahmed Khan is a graduate Engineer who did his Masters in Engineering from U.S.A.  besides Bachelor (Hons) in “War studies” and Master in “Defence strategic Studies”. He was awarded honours Society ‘Tau Beta Pai’ membership after M.Sc (Engineering) from U.S.A. because of excellent M.Sc result.

 

2.    Having passed at the top of his course from Pakistan Military Academy he started his career from a Production organization thus beginning a long love with “Production industry”. During his military career as he rose in rank / grade after going through a variety of qualifying courses and varying postings he developed a repertoire of experience & skills which honed ability to effectively manage engineering (Production) organizations at highest level.

 

3.    As Technical liaison officer at Pakistan Embassy in London for three years in 1980’s he visited various industries in Europe and U.S.A. to inspect defence goods purchased by Pakistan Army thus getting exposed to latest technologies and techniques of manufacturing and quality assurance. During various postings to “Research & Development” based establishments he developed intimate knowledge of local industrial base and its potential & shortcomings. He then effectively utilized national industrial potential to “indigenously develop” defence equipment. As Project Director (equivalent to Managing Director) of two Defence Production set-up (i.e. factories) at Heavy industries Taxila (H.I.T),he developed first Prototype of Al-Zarar Tank, a project which upgraded bulk of Army’s inventory of old vintage tanks into Modern Battlefield (MBT) configuration at a fraction of new MBT’s cost. He also indigenized many tank and Armored Personnel carrier (APC) parts / systems, notably Fire Control System of tank T-59 IIMP and was awarded ‘Imtiazi Sanad’.

 

4.    As a Director General and Head of Research & Development Establishment he took three initiatives, namely establishment of  Engineering Design Centre & simulator development Lab as well as Cementing industry-university linkage which gave fillip to indigenous development of defence equipment. As a result, a total of 110 development / series production Projects were completed in five years (i.e. 22 projects per year average). This gave huge boost to indigenous R&D efforts through local industry with consequent saving and industrial, technological and economic development of the country. The mega project of Tank integrated driver and gunner / commander simulator for tank Al-Khalid was completed which laid foundation of simulator (manufacturing) industry in Pakistan with tremendous growth potential. Series manufacture of tank simulates alone in two years was to save Rs.1920.00 million.

 

5.    As Chairman State Engineering Corporations (SEC) for two years (2007-2009), Profits increased by 105% and tens of new products were developed such as CNC machines at Pakistan Machine Tool Factory (PMTF) 40 MVA power transformer at Heavy Electrical Complex (HEC) and restarting pump & motor manufacturing facilities at Pakistan Engineering Co Ltd (PECO).

 

6.    His rich experience in managing engineering organizations ranging from Production / manufacturing to Research & Development, and Inspection / Quality to Design engineering coupled with gradual learning as a young engineer on production lines / Labs to a middle management position as a Brigadier managing Projects / factories and then finally as a “General” officer heading big industrial complexes enables him to comprehend a production organizations issues in totality. His proclivity to innovate, improve and change can help revitalize moribund industrial unit into throbbing profitable outfits as proved during his long illustrious career.