Government to take every step to improve economy: Prime Minister gives away KCCI export performance awards

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the government will take every step to improve the country's economy. Speaking at the grand event of 'Export Trophy Award' of the country's largest trade body, KCCI, on the eve of the Chamber's Golden Jubilee held at Sindh Governor House here on Saturday he said that the government "is committed to provide all possible support" to the trade community.
He said that various measures, taken by the present government to support the country's economy, were fruitful as the country's economy had started improving. The foreign remittances increased significantly and the country's forex reserves have crossed $14 billion mark from $6 billion, when the country was facing a default like situation, he added.
The Prime Minister asked the country's trading community to join hands with the government to further stabilise the country's economy and to attract more foreign investment here.
KCCI President Anjum Nisar said that Karachi is the hub of economic activities in the country and the business community of this mega city has always played its due role in all national issues.
He said that Pakistan is the sixth largest democratic state in the world. However, it is much behind in the other countries with regard to economic position. The country needs right direction to improve its economic situation and to become a big economy in the region.
He said the country has huge resources and there is need of a right direction and continuation of economic policies. Pakistan has potential to become a big economy, he said, and added, "We are not a nation of begging aid; we want trade and market access in the western world".
A former president of KCCI, Siraj Kassam Teli, said that frequent economic policy changes in the country created a deterrent for long-term investments, especially when the governments changed.
He requested the Prime Minister to take an initiative to prepare an agreement, or a document, similar to the Charter of Democracy making a commitment and defining the parameters and guidelines for the economic policies with the stakeholders of the country, and that document should be signed by all political parties or, if possible, legislated to help long-term investment in the country.
He said that the formation of new National Finance Commission (NFC) under the current government had given a hope that there would be no discrimination against Karachi and Sindh. "Our point of view is very clear, and in support of our provincial government, that the new formula of distribution must have revenue generation as its integral part", he said.
He requested the Prime Minister to revalidate the Trade Ordinance -2007 and if there are any changes to be made at all, the stakeholders must be taken into confidence.
The Advisor to Sindh Chief Minister on Investment, Zubair Motiwala, discussed various ideas to attract more foreign investment into the country.
Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan, CM Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Ministers Dr Farooq Sattar, Babar Khan Ghori, Muhammad Farooq Saeed, Sindh Assembly Speaker Nisar Khuhro, Chairman Board of Investment Salim Mandviwala, CEO of TDAP Muhibullah Shah, provincial ministers, MNAs, MPAs, diplomats and a large numbers of business community members attended this mega event.
The Prime Minister awarded Gold Medals and Trophies to the top exporters on their best performance. The awards were given to 51 top exporters of five different categories on the basis of highest exports, best export performance, special awards for value addition, non-traditional market and new product and special award for SMEs.
The gold medals were awarded to 21 winners for highest exports. The winners of Gold Medals were Afroze Alam Lari of Afroze Textile Industries on overall highest exports of Home Textiles; Muhammad Ali Tabba of Lucky Cement Limited on highest cement exports; Hamid Ahmed Garib of Garibsons Limited for largest Karachi-based exporter of rice (all varieties) Moughal Brand; Naseem Sattar of Al-Abid Silk Mills Limited for highest textile exports; Mrs. Madiha Moulvi of M.M. Commodities for highest lady exporter; Dr Tariq Ghori of Matco Rice Processing for largest Karachi-based exporter of Basmati rice; Mohammad Farooq of Amir Rice Export & Import Company for highest exports of rice to a single country; M Harron Bari of Yahya M Yousuf Bari for highest exports of Towel; Shabbir Ahmed Desai of D.S.I. Group of Companies for highest exports of textiles knitted products; Salman Ahmed Tabba of Lucky Textile for highest exports of Textile; Mehmood Rangoonwala of Terry Wold Textile for highest exports of Home Textile-Terry Towel; Muhammad Haroon Agar of Agar International for highest exports of agro commodities; Kashif Gul Memon of Mehran Spice & Food Industries for highest exports of spices & rice: Muhammad Ahmed of Abdul Wahid Abdul Majid (Pvt) Limited for highest exports of agro commodities; Iqbal Ayub of Rija Fashions for highest exports of readymade garments; Aamir Mehmood of ABM Corporation for highest exports of Metal Scrap; Athar Farooq Nizami of AFN Enterprises highest export of rice, dates, syrup, spices, vermicelli & fried onions; Yousuf Yaqoob of Prince Impex for highest export of fabrics, towel, home textile & leather garments; Abdul Wahid of Chase International for highest exports of fruits (Oranges); Nirmal Das of Green Commission Agency highest export of parboiled rice and Zaheer Ahmed of JMB Exporters for highest exports of fresh fruits, mango, vegetable & rice.
The Best Export Performance Awards were given to 16 winners including Afroze Textile Industries (Pvt) Limited (lmran Shaheryan Lari) for highest exports of towel; Naveena Exports Limited (Asif Riaz Tata) for best exports of Denim Fabrics; Meskay & Femtee Trading Company (Pvt) Limited (Shahid Tawawala) for Best Export of Rice (Non-Basmati); Conwill Pakistan (Pvt) Limited (Safdar H Mehkri) for Best Exports of Rice; D.S.I. Group of Companies (Dawood Moosa Desài) for Best Exports of Textiles Knitted Products; Bita Textile Mills (Pvt) Limited (Arshad Zaheer Khan) for Best Exports of Towels; Qasim Rice Mills (Masood Ahmed Chaudhry) for Best Export of Rice (Basmati & Sela); K.K. Commodities (Chela Ram) for Best Export of Rice; Pakistan Beverage Limited (Yaseen Haji Kassam / Zaid Yaseen) for Highest Export of Beverages (Pepsi, Marinda, 7 Up, Mountain Dew & Diet Pepsi); Pakistan Rice Complex (Syed Azhar Hussain Hashmi) for Best Export of Rice; Oman Associates (Pvt) Limited (Jamshed Omar) for Best Export of Mineral Product (TALC); Rahmani Enterprise (Mohammad Fahim Rahmani) for Best Export of Home Textile; Shan Foods (Pvt) Limited (Muhammad Sikander Sultan) for Highest Exports of Spices; Dongfeng Board Pakistan (Faisal Lodhia) for Best Exports of Best Gypsum Ceiling Tiles & Gypsum Board; Ali & Associates (Karimullah Adeni) for Best Exports of Services (Intellectual Property Legal) and Herbion Pakistan (Pvt) Limited (Syed Abid Mumtaz) for Best Exports of Herbal Medicines.
Two special awards were given for value-addition and the winners were Convenience Food Industries (Pvt) Limited (Agha lrshad Ahmed Khan) for Best Exports of Value-Added Products ready to cook, sweet mixes, spice mixes & paste (Laziza Brand), and Integna Trade & Marketing (Shamsul Arfin Khan Special Award for Value-addition in Basmati Rice Exports.
Ten awards were given for Non-Traditional Market and New Products and the winners were Marniana International (Khalil Ahmed Nanitalwala) for Best Exports of Consumer & Cosmetic products; Mohammad Hashim Tajir Surma (Mohammad Rashid Hashmi) for Best Export of Herbal Medicine (Kajal & Surma); W. Woodward Pakistan (Pvt) Ltd (Salman Khalil Nanitalwala) for Pharmaceutical; Mustafa Enterprises (Mustafa) for Herbal Tea & Herbal Oils; Durvesh International (Muhammad Arif Durvesh) for Dried Licorice Roots for Non-Traditional Markets; Quick Food Industries (Talib Zaki) for Wheat & Vegetable Products (MonSalwa Brand); Pakarts (Pvt) Ltd (Zia Ahmed Khan) for Marble & Onyx Handicrafts; Bosch Pharmaceuticals (Pvt) Ltd (Sheikh Mohiuddin Chawla) for Pharmaceutical; Premier Industries (Shahid Ismail) for Fibre Optics & Telephone Cables and Mehar Impex (Mansoor Yousuf) for Homoeopathic Medicines. Two special awards were given to the SMEs, and the winners were H.S. Group (Anwar Ahmed Ansari) Special Award for SME Exporter (Ship Chandelling Supplies) and Al Rehman Enterprises (Haji Abdul Samad Gudil) Special Award for SME (Minerals).