The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) is holding a three-day exhibition of all consumer, industrial and exportable items at 'Khojent' (Tajikistan) from April 28 to 30. The exhibition named as 'Made in Pakistan' will accommodate around 70 exhibitors and 140 delegates from Pakistan, which is a part of the LCCI bid to enhance Pakistani exports to this untapped market to the tune of five million dollars this year.
The LCCI Senior Vice-President Sohail Lashari and executive committee member Mian Shafqat stated this while addressing a press conference here on Thursday.
They said that main competitors of Pakistan in Tajikistan are India and Iran. LCCI was endeavouring to match Indian export figure this year while Iranian export figure will be matched in next five years, as this potential market has demand for all the items including textile made-ups and joint ventures in shoe, furnace or other areas.
Sohail Lashari maintained that sitting LCCI leadership since assumption of power had been striving to hold exhibitions abroad and send delegations to enhance the exports. Due to the fact that the Central Asian states could be a big market for Pakistani products, the LCCI had sent a delegation to Tajikistan and also held an exhibition at Dushanbe as a follow up, that was witnessed by over 10,000 people including diplomats from Iran, India and Turkey.
Encouraged from the results of Dushanbe exhibition, the LCCI has planned another exhibition in Khojent in which foreign diplomatic missions; government officials and importers of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzistan, Qazakistan, Uzbekistan and Turkimanistan would be invited. He hoped that over 10,000 people would visit this exhibition. He said that this time, the LCCI would also be taking with it a cultural troupe to improve the image of Pakistan. A replica of 'Food Street' would also be established where cooks especially included in the LCCI delegation would offer Pakistani dishes. A chartered flight has been arranged to have a direct flight from Lahore to Khojent, he informed.