Foreign delegates start arriving for furniture expo

F.P. Report

LAHORE: High-level delegations belonging to the furniture industry of China, Turkey, Taiwan, Thailand and other countries have started arriving here on a week-long visit to participate in the three-day 9th National Interiors Pakistan Exhibition commencing from Dec 15 here at Expo Center.

Talking to media here on Wednesday, Chief Executive Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Mian Kashif Ashfaq said that all the foreign delegations were visiting Pakistan on the invitation of FPC and the council will bear their all expenses, including boarding, lodging, transportation and travelling. PFC Board of Directors Khawaja Maqbool Ilahi, Shahzad Yousaf Mughal, Shahbaz Aslam and Rizwan Amjad were also present on this occasion.

He elaborated that main purpose behind extending invitations was to introduce handmade best quality solid wood furniture products to the foreign investors and importers.

“Special extra-ordinary arrangements have been made to facilitate all the foreign visitors,” he added.

He further said that in order to ensure quick flow of information, a special desk had been set up for print and electronic media. In this regard, Adnan Afzal has been appointed coordinator. He said that the Board of Directors of PFC reviewed the arrangements in detail and expressed their satisfaction.

He said more than100 leading local companies and interior designers will display their products, while as many as 200,000 to 250,000 people were expected to visit this mega event. “This exhibition will also provide young designers and architects an opportunity to see the market trends and display their own work alongside that of more established professionals. PFC is also continuing its work to ensure Pakistan’s presence in more countries and to act as the focal point for Pakistani furniture designers and manufacturers so that they could enter the international market with confidence,” he added.

Pakistan’s wood industry is well developed and captures 95 percent of the country’s total market of furniture.

The country has more than 700 units of wooden furniture, with Chiniot, alone meeting 80 percent of furniture demands in the country. Gujrat, with world-class furniture, Peshawar, Lahore and Karachi are other important centers.