Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar has advised the exporters not to be scared of the new World Trade Organisation (WTO) regime as the government would continue to provide protection to the local industries.
Speaking at the launching ceremony of Expo Pakistan at the Defence Authority Golf Club on Thursday evening he said that the WTO was in force since 1995 and has not done any harm to local industries. The only change due to happen in January 2005 is the abolition of textile quotas for which the local export oriented industries were geared up to face the challenge.
He said that the Government had not reduced tariff or withdrawn subsidies as a result of WTO compulsions but in line with its own policies and commitments made to the international community.
The minister pointed out that Pakistan and other developing countries were engaged in Doha Round of WTO in order to seek market access for their agricultural and industrial products. We will try our best to have a good bargain for agriculture, industrial and services sector at Doha Round, he added.
He said that the developed countries were providing dollar one billion subsidy daily to their farmers. The end of subsidy, which is the main focus of negotiations at Doha Round, would increase the value and export of our agricultural products leading to the increase in GDP as agriculture is the mainstay of 70 percent population of the country.
Humayun lauded the achievements made in the exports during the last four years in which the exports registered 43 percent growth and broke the psychological barriers to take exports from dollar seven to eight billion to the present dollar 12.3 billion." However, despite these achievements we have to go a long way to take our exports to the level of Asian tigers.
He underlined the role of the government as facilitator and to seek market access and remove non-tariff barrier and said that the Government is fully cognisant of the hard work done by the exporters in achieving the export targets. We are trying to create a level playing field and taking steps to make exporters competitive in the export market in the stiff competition phase commencing from 2005. These include easy availability of modern technology and search of new markets.
He appealed to the FPCCI and chambers to join hands with the EPB to make Expo Pakistan an international event, which would provide a chance to the foreign buyers to witness a wide range of quality products and tremendous business opportunities available in Pakistan. He expressed the hope that the Expo Pakistan would find a place in the calendar of international fairs.
Earlier, Chairman EPB Tariq Ikram said that the main objective of the Expo is to provide a chance to the international community to 'experience' Pakistan, which is entirely different from their perception and concern about law and order situation.
He said that at the opening of the vast opportunities in world trade, Pakistan faced with the issue of buyers' security concern and difficulties in travelling. Pakistan has a misplace perception but any body who visits the country find a totally different environment.
Tariq said that exporters have done a hard work and invested in improving quality of products, diversifying their range and improved delivery schedule and meeting requirement of social compliance. Pakistan must get preference in the new WTO order. If the world does not believe in appreciating Pakistan efforts they should come to Pakistan because seeing is believing.
The Sindh Chief Minister was focus of special attention at the ceremony as law and order is must for the development of business and investment. Speaking at the ceremony Arbab Ghulam Rahim said that law and order is the first and foremost priority of his government because exports are the lifeline of the country and a peaceful environment is a must for economic activity.
He said that the government would provide infra structure to the old industrial estates and he would sit with the business community to have knowledge of their problems and to solve them.
Earlier, Pervez Iqbal of Big Bang Communications (BBCL) and Asim Siddiqui of Pegasus Consultancy presented highlights of Expo Pakistan 2005, which will be an ideal one stop souring event showcasing the premium products manufactured in Pakistan. Serving as a global market place for interaction, the show aims to bringing together buyers and sellers and take advantage of this unique opportunity of establishing new business alliances.
Business leaders and chairmen of exporters associations were invited to the stage to honour them with presentation of mementoes.