F.P. Report
KARACHI: On the 3rd day of the Expo Pakistan 2017, the show continued its momentum and buyers and sellers continued with their business negotiations aimed at shipments both in the immediate future and extended over the next year.
Mr. Younus Dhaga, Federal Secretary Commerce and Mr. Inaam Ullah Khan, Secretary, TDAP held meetings with Sri Lankan Export Development Board where the importance of the FTA between the two countries was emphasized; the Srilankan Board showed their interest in import of leather bags, Jewellery, Construction Materials, Rice, Textile and Sanitary-ware from Pakistan.
The Secretary Commerce offered them the trade opportunity entailed in the provisions of GSP facility of Pakistan to increase their exports to the EU; besides, indicating the strengths of construction sector of Pakistan for export to Srilanka. The Secretary Commerce promised to arrange their meetings with the Textile, Automobile and Rubber manufacturers in the country.
A trade delegation of Qatari businessmen also called on the Secretary Commerce where they referred to the increased prospects of trade between the two countries after agreement of the LNG imports from Qatar to Pakistan.
The delegation emphasized a FTA between the two countries that could address the trade irritants like banking issues, pricing and freight matters between the two countries.
Secretary said that TDAP has asked the CC Doha to arrange single country exhibition to introduce Pakistani textile, rice, sugar, cement, home textile, etc in the market. A 08 member trade delegation from Uzbekistan representing pharmaceutical, agriculture, CNG, and food sectors also called upon the Pakistan`s Secretary Commerce.
The secretary said that the direct flight from Uzbekistan to Pakistan will be very helpful in ensuring smooth trade ties, in addition to the discussion of bilateral trade issues between the two countries.
A delegation of businessmen from the Czech Republic also met with the Federal Secretary who showed interest in the cosmetics, textiles, fruits sectors and were especially interested in the renewable energy sector.
The country is already doing business with Fatima Fertilizer, Sapphire & Orient group. Besides, trade delegation from UAE also called upon the Secretary Commerce and informed the Secretary that they had signed business deals with M/s. Dawn, M/s United King and M/s Big Bird.
The day witnessed a very busy schedule of meetings of foreign buyers with their Pakistani counterparts in terms of which a number of business deals were negotiated, major highlights of which included an MoU between Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Australia Pakistan Chamber of Commerce & Industry; an MoU between All Pakistan Gems Merchant & Jeweller Association and M/s. Fakhar Malik Jewellery from Bahrain; and a Thailand company interested in signing Joint Venture with M/s Trading Vision, Lahore.
In addition, some Afghan based companies have signed MoU with EPZA to invest in purchase of land in EPZA (Karachi) worth USD 8 thousand to establish factory for processing of Pulp and dry fruit.
The exporters of meat, Dairy Products & Honey also got good response from the buyers in the show to their product range.
Besides, some buyers interested in Sports Sector are planning to visit Sialkot to meet Pakistani firms to meet their procurement needs from Pakistan.
