Former Governor Punjab, Senator Ch Muhammad Sarwar has said that Pakistan furniture industry has a big potential to dominate global markets with innovative designs. It can substantially contribute to the country's export annually if the government properly patronizes to give a boost to the locally handmade furniture.
He expressed these views during a meeting with Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Chief Executive Mian Kashif Ashfaq here on Wednesday. He urged the government to establish greater liaison with this sector to fully understand the market conditions and requirements of the industry needs to protect, develop and promote.
Pakistan loses a huge amount of foreign exchange being spent on import of furniture that could be reduced by encouraging our local industries to grow by patronizing them, he said. He promised to raise voice for the support of furniture industry in the Senate and will persuade his colleagues to make a comprehensive plan after consulting with stakeholders in furniture industry for giving it a status of industry.
The former governor said that he would also ask the authorities concerned to provide more visible support to furniture business in terms of simple and easily obtainable grants for exhibiting and travelling to trade shows and promoting Pak export as a success globally.
On this occasion, PFC Chief Mian Kashif said that the PFC has signed an agreement with TEVTA to train woodworkers on modern scientific lines. The PFC and TEVTA will jointly hire international trainers to train and educate woodworkers. Apart from generic issues of infrastructure, lack of regular supply of electricity, transportation, not getting raw materials for production, the greatest challenge is in getting the skilled labour, he added.
He said, "We need policies to protect the furniture sector so that we can grow in the correct manner. We currently cannot compete with the Chinese market because of their prices which is largely due to the availability of skilled labour. China for instance has over a thousand technical schools, and enroll at least eleven million people with the support of their government to ensure they set up programs that will support the local industry," he added.
He said that if the required support was given to manufacturers and brands to reach out to international market, Pakistan's industry would contribute to the economy and furniture products would be considered leaders in the international market.