Tawab for renewed focus on regional trade

N H ZUBERI

KARACHI: Vice President, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Khalid Tawab has said that the time has changed and now there is a need to concentrate on regional trader rather than looking towards European counties for trade.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of 1st Single Country Exhibition in Colombo, Sir Lanka by Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) here at a local hotel, he said Pakistan's trade with regional countries is negligible and efforts should be made to increase it substantially.

Referring to trade with India, he said that there was no harm in giving Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status to India.

However, he said while opening trade with India it must be kept in mind that Pakistan industry should not be hit adversely.

He said that the industrialists operating industrial units in the country in prevailing circumstances where there was no power and gas were actually doing 'Jihad'.

He said that when East and West Germany can unite then why Pakistan and India could not join hands and cooperate with each other. "We have same culture, language and traditions," he added.

Khalid Tawab said that Trade Develop Authority (TDAP) had export development fund, which should be utilized for promotion of trade.

Appreciating RCCI efforts to hold single country exhibition in Sri Lanka he said that the exhibition would help introduce Pakistani products in foreign country.

Acting President KCCI, Younis Bashir stressed on regional economic cooperation

MNA Shireen Arshad informed the gathering that in recent meeting of National Assembly's Standing Committee on Commerce it was discussed that TDAP should be dissolved and Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) should be reviewed.

She further said that letters had been sent to all the chambers and trade bodies seeking their feedback on the proposed reactivation of EPB.

Commissioner Karachi Roshan Ali Shaikh said that Karachi's master plan has been prepared, which envisages new industries estates.

President RCCI Javed Akhtar Bhatti said the chamber is organizing made-in-Pakistan products' exhibition in Colombo without taking any financial help from the government.

He said that the chamber had planned to organize made-in-Pakistan products' exhibitions in 10 different countries during the year on its own expenses to introduce Pakistani produces in these markets.

He advised office-bearers of chambers of the country to come forward and organize single country exhibitions in foreign countries.

He was of the view that if each of the 15 leading chambers of Pakistan organize at least three Pakistani products single country exhibition in foreign countries on their own expenses then the number of exhibitions held in a year will be 45 which will help the country in a big way to boost trade.