The 200-plus members' Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories Manufacturers (Paapam) has condemned Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) for its failure to book space for Pakistan Pavilion in EIMA and EIMA Bologna Italy, a mega-agriculture machinery exhibition to be held on November 10 to 14 despite selecting nine Pakistani exhibitors.
Syed Nabeel Hashmi, vice chairman Paapam told Business Recorder here on Tuesday that the Association had sent a request to TDAP for participation in this event well over one year ago and registration fee was paid on demand. He said the exhibitors had already made travelling arrangements, hotel bookings, dispatched exhibits and fixed meetings with potential buyers. "The cancellation of Pakistan's participation in the mega event at this point of time will inflict heavy losses on the participants despite earning a bad name for "made Pakistan," he added.
Hashmi has sought immediate intervention of newly appointed CEO TDAP Tariq Iqbalpuri and Secretary Ministry of Commerce Zafar Mahmud in the matter for averting the crisis because it is very important event for Tractor Parts Manufacturers in which sector localisation level is very high and products being manufactured in Pakistan are also in great demand in the European markets.
He said the Paapam Managing Committee has called an emergent meeting of exhibitors at Paapam Head Office to evolve an alternate strategy regarding their participation for submission to Ministry of Commerce. The Association shall also be looking into to pin point who had eventually been responsible for creating this embarrassing situation for Pakistan. Talking to this scribe Secretary Commerce Zafar Mahmud said "I have no knowledge of this failure on the part of TDAP but I will certainly look into it when Paapam's complaint comes up to me."
As already reported by Business Recorder Paapam had decided to take part in three international automobile exhibitions in Germany, United States and Italy this year to get export orders for their product, develop and expand engineering base in Pakistan as well as integrate it with the world markets.
Earlier, 15 Pakistani exporters of auto parts had exhibited their products in the Auto Mechanika show in Frankfurt, Germany the world's largest trade fair for auto parts from 14 to 19 September. Former chairman Paapam and one of the participants in the show Malik Mohammad Aslam told that Pakistani manufacturers participation had been a tremendous success in Germany `as all of them got export orders for their products.
Speaking at the fair, CBI engineering sector export expert Pakistan advised the Federal Commerce Ministry to pay close attention to development of the Engineering Goods Export sector as the future engine of growth of Pakistan's exports. While 65 percent of world trade is comprised of engineering sector exports, as compared to only 6 percent for the entire textile sector.
Pakistan continues to miss the opportunities afforded by engineering goods exports where there is scope of much higher returns and also no problems relating to export quotas. Malik Mohammad Aslam also suggested that TDAP should give due importance to participation of Pakistan's engineering goods manufacturers in these international shows that prove to be breaking paths for accelerating Pakistan's exports.