The main focus of Expo Pakistan would be on buyers-driven foreign direct investment (FDI) and to make a quantum leap in exports. This was stated by vice chairman Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Abid Javed Akbar at a Press conference held at the EPB head office in Karachi on Friday. He said that Pakistan after crossing the export barrier of nine million, which had remained constant for several years, would now follow the example of some Far Eastern countries, which are engaged in manufacturing for export through multinational companies.
All sectors in which Pakistan had made progress, such as leather, textile, engineering goods etc, would be introduced to the investors participating in the Expo for joint ventures so that quality and big volume of goods could be manufactured locally and exported.
Apart from the display, there would be lot of educational sessions between the exporters and buyers to provide them necessary information about the products and the markets, he added.
The EPB vice chairman said that about 13 trade ministers of different countries would be visiting Expo. There would be business sessions with ministers of different countries, who would provide information about their markets and import procedures to the Pakistani exporters. These countries include Morocco, Iraq, Central Asian Republics, Afghanistan, Philippine and South American countries.
The Expo Pakistan would play an important role in providing information to Pakistani companies interested to provide supplies to the UN agencies, which procured goods and commodities worth billions of dollars every year. A special UN group had been invited from New York to hold a workshop on the eve of Expo to educate Pakistan companies about the registration with UN agencies and procedures to participate in tendering for supply of various goods. The exports could increase substantially through supplies made to the UN agencies, he added.
Abid Javed said that trade ministers from African countries would be apprised of the progress made in manufacturing of light engineering products such as fans, washing machines and other home appliances as these items had great demand in African markets.
Trade ministers from Central Asian Republics would be offered quality pharmaceutical products produced in Pakistan and Philippine and other Far East countries would be offered to purchase quality fruits from Pakistan.
TARIFF PROBLEMS: The EPB vice chairman said that at high level talks with the guests tariff problems would be discussed. He said this in reference to increase in import duty on Kinno by Indonesia and on rice by Kenya.
He said that the city had been selected for the largest ever trade display to bring Karachi, which had drifted from its destination as main commercial hub of Pakistan, back to the world trade 's map.
He said that more than 900 buyers were expected to attend the Expo apart from 106 state guests and delegations from 60 countries. The guests include ministers, head of chambers and trade bodies, owners of large super markets in Europe and USA.
The number of guests estimated at 600 had reached about 750 and the organisers have obtained rooms in rest houses, big clubs and army messes.
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