TDAP optimistic it will achieve $24 billion fiscal year 2011 export target

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), Tariq Iqbal Puri, on Saturday said that the TDAP was making all-out efforts and taking out-of-box measures to achieve $24 billion exports by the end of current financial year 2010-11.
He said this while addressing members of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) here. LCCI President Shahzad Ali, Senior Vice President Mohammad Arshad, Vice President Sohail Azhar, Misbahur Rehman, Shahid Hassan, Sohail Lashari, Tahir Javaid, Aftab Ahmad Vohra and Shafqat Saeed Piracha also spoke on the occasion.
Tariq said that for the first time in the country''s history, exports have surpassed the target. Despite the economic slowdown, it was all the more significant that Pakistan was on course to set new records of exports growth. To achieve this landmark achievement, he said, TDAP was accelerating its efforts.
Despite power and gas shortages, the exporters are doing good business in the international market and are competing well with foreign competitors, he said, adding the demand for textiles has increased considerably. He said that there are a number of other areas including non-traditional items, minerals, livestock and pharmaceutical that has huge export potential and Pakistani businessmen should avail the opportunity.
The TDAP CEO said that as the current year had been declared as "Exports to China Year", the TDAP was encouraging Pakistani entrepreneurs to focus on non-traditional items for exports. The TDAP, he added, would ensure that it provides all possible assistance and was in the process of setting up a web portal. This web portal, he said, would be a state-of-the-art affair catering to the needs of the businessmen.
About trade concessions to Pakistan by the European Union, Tariq expressed optimism for good news in this regard. Regarding suspension of Enterprise Capacity Building Programme by TDAP, he promised to look into the matter for the early revival of the programme.
LCCI President Shahzad said that delegations organised by the TDAP should be finalised in consultation with chambers to ensure greater representation of private sector at international trading events such as trade fairs and single country exhibitions. The TDAP should actively support the trade delegations organised by LCCI on preferential basis, he added. Embassies of our neighbouring countries are playing very active role in promoting trade diplomacy all around the globe in close liaison with their trade supporting organisations. The commercial sections of these embassies are found proactive and the commercial councillors remain busy in studying the international market trends. They keep posting their nationals about their findings in order to facilitate international trade," he said.
He proposed that the TDAP should also interact with Pakistan''s embassies abroad and ask them to raise awareness among the business community about the new trends and trade related legal requirements of any particular country or a trading bloc. The LCCI President said that the government needs to make greater efforts for the image building abroad. Again, Pakistan missions abroad can spearhead these efforts. Likewise, road shows and catalogue exhibitions can be organised by these embassies, he added.
He said that the government had signed FTAs and PTAs with many countries but overall it failed to greatly benefit as compared to foreign counterparts. There is a need to revisit these agreements, he added. "It has been a longstanding demand that major chambers of commerce must be taken into confidence while finalising international trade agreements. In Pak Afghan Transit Trade Agreement, the private sector which is a main stakeholder was not even consulted. "In the same manner, we were not made part of group that negotiated with European Union for having duty free access," he said.