PTA not to attend Chennai leather show for security reasons

In the backdrop of increasing security risk in India, the Pakistani leather manufacturers have decided to cancel their participation in the four-day Chennai international leather exhibition to be held from January 31, 2009.
As many as 15 firms had to take part by setting up their stalls at this famous leather show, while 40 prominent leather exporters had planned to participate in the show as an individual. A meeting, chaired by Pakistan Tanners Association's Central Chairman Agha Saiddain reviewed the emerging situation and the rising security risk in India arising out of the terrorists' attacks in Mumbai.
The meeting, also attended by the management committee members, however, passed a resolution, and condemned the attacks that claimed over 190 lives of innocent people. The PTA Central Chairman told Business Recorder here on Monday that the world renowned brand shoe-makers wanted to establish joint ventures with the Pakistani counterparts for setting up shoe manufacturing units in Pakistan. But the prevailing law and order situation during 90s did not allow them to take business risk in Pakistan and were forced to go to China and India where they established manufacturing facilities of leather products, he said.
He said that the Pakistan's finished leather was highly popular among renowned leather products' manufacturers because of its superior quality, who preferred Pakistani leather to the Indian ones.
The Indian leather was generally considered contaminated because it was derived from fallen animals, he said. He said the quality of leather mainly depended upon how many skins were contaminated. The skins of slaughtered animals did not contain any drop of blood and thus helped produce best quality of leather after immediate processing, he added.
He said the leather industry of both the countries had excellent relationship, but in the present circumstances, "we feel security risk for our members in the forthcoming fair." He urged the leadership of both the countries to establish relationship based on trust and sincerity for the betterment of both the nations.