Wahab underscores importance of printing industry in job creation

KARACHI: Administrator of Karachi Murtaza Wahab has said that printing industry is a key industry as it is contributing heavily towards employment generation.

Murtaza stated this while inaugurating PrintPak, which is the country’s biggest printing graphic arts and packaging exhibition, at Karachi Expo Centre here on Saturday.

He said that Karachi Metropolitan Corporation will provide land to the local paper industry under public private partnership for establishing training institutes for skill development of our youth.

Chairman Pakistan Association of Printing and Graphic Arts Industry (PAPGAI) Aziz Khalid in his speech said that this industry is one of the largest after the textile sector with the employment of over a million workforces.

“This industry serves as a backbone for sectors like FMCG, Textile, Publication Houses, Confectionery, Pharmaceuticals, and many others. Pakistan is manufacturing top quality printed products to cater to the ever growing domestic and international demand,” said Khalid.

Hence, he added, the industry has witnessed investments in new machinery and technology from current and new players as the industry foresees an increase in demand domestically given the increasing retail landscape along with export opportunities for the sector.

He added that the association has also provided a platform to State Bank of Pakistan to disseminate information regarding SME schemes among its members as it will not only help the industry glow but will also provide a fair opportunity for SMEs to contribute their share towards the national economy.

President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) M Idrees in his speech said that this industry is a significant contributor to the economy in the form of taxes, provision of employment opportunities, to both skilled and unskilled, and skill development of people associated with the industry.

“I hope that these efforts by industry in general and PAPGAI in particular will continue to gather pace for the betterment and efficiency,” said M Idrees.

Convener PAPGAI Basit Zaidi said that support from the government through fair policies would help Pakistan to tap the potential of the export market worth $8-16 billion for the printing sector only.

“Given the cost effectiveness of operations backed by talented pool of human resource, Pakistan’s printing industry has a comparative advantage to penetrate, and create a footprint in the export market. It has a clear advantage over countries like China and Malaysia where the labour cost is relatively high,” said Zaidi.

In the end, Zohair Naseer MD Badar Expo Solutions and Aziz Khaild Chairman PAPGAI gave away mementos to the Chief Guest.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022