2nd edition of Made in Pakistan to be held in September

By Syed Sajid Aziz
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The 2nd Edition of “Made in Pakistan” exhibition is scheduled to be held in Mumbai from August 31 to September 5, 2014. This was announced by the Chairman Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA), Arshad Aziz, during a press conference at PRGMEA House in Karachi on May 3. 

He disclosed said that following overwhelming response from the Pakistan exhibitors and Indian buyers at the 1st Edition of MIPEM 2014 held from April 3-7, 2014 at World Trade Centre, Mumbai, PRGMEA in collaboration with Evecon they have scheduled to hold the 2nd edition of ‘Made in Pakistan Expo Mumbai’ from August 31- September 5, 2014 at the World Trade Centre Mumbai, India. 

Arshad Aziz said that Pakistani exhibitors made an estimated sale of Rs400 million in just five days. He said that as many as Rs200 million’s contract were also signed by the exhibitors while one of the brand “Khaadi” is negotiating to open up its outlet in Mumbai while some spice manufacturers has decided to appoint its dealer due to massive demand of Pakistani spices in India. 

He revealed that the no untoward incident was happened and everything sailed on smoothly, adding that the 2nd Edition of MIPEM 2014 (from 31st August to 5th September 2014) will help Pakistani products in fetching world’s largest consumer markets. 

It will introduce high quality Pakistani products infused with rich culture to Indian business community and people at large and at the same time provide top Pakistani enterprises with a platform to meet Indian authorities and discuss trade-related issues. 

The main feature of the event and my thrust would be on arranging meetings of our exhibitors with their Indian counterparts so that they could procure long-term export orders especially for the readymade garments and other fabrics that’s why the PRGMEA has initiated this venture and is trying to establish this event as a regular feature in India. 

He said that India remained a lucrative market for Pakistani garments and textile made-ups. Maximum B2C and B2B meetings between the Pakistani exhibitors and manufacturers with Indian buyers would be arranged, so that Pakistani exhibitors could avail maxim benefit of the event. He said that the event is being organized in collaboration with EVECON at Mumbai’s World Trade Centre. 

He recalled that in the past, Made in Pakistan shows have been quite successful amongst the residents of Mumbai and the visitors’ turnout was enormous, estimated to be 18,000 to 20,000 footsteps daily, and the exhibitors returned satisfied to breakeven the expenditure the exhibitors will be allowed to spot sale.

Efforts to boost Pak-US trade to continue: Dodman

By Syed Sajid Aziz
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Consul General of the United States of America (USA) in Karachi, Michael Dodman, pointed out that his country was actively working on education, energy and health sectors in Pakistan and the focus is on capacity building rather than short term remedies. 

Talking to a delegation of Pakistan American Trade Expo 2014 at his office the diplomat said that USA would like to continue its support to foster the economy of Pakistan. The delegation comprised the Chief Executive Officer, Hasan Jalil, Resident Director, Naveed Anjum, and Director Marketing, Obaidullah Nadeem. 

“USA will do her all out efforts for providing full support to Pakistani businessmen for further improving the exports from Pakistan to USA,” adding that his country also desired an increase in its exports to Pakistan. He vowed to support the initiatives that help promote trade and investment relations between Pakistan and USA. 

Dodman appreciated the idea of the Pakistan American Trade Expo (PATE) 2014, which aims at bringing the business communities of the two countries together and provide a platform that, highlights tremendous opportunities for investment and bilateral trade expansion. 

The Consul General hoped that the event would be very successful and contribute to further strengthening the two-way trade. He assured of his full support and cooperation for the Expo 2014. 

Hasan Jalil, on the occasion, appreciated the Consul General’s support to the event and said that the PATE was striving to make the Expo 2014 a permanent platform to encourage a robust expansion in the bilateral trade and investment opportunities through discussion, exhibition and meetings between the entrepreneurs.

Pakistan to hold mango festival, single country exhibition in Malaysia

By Syed Sajid Aziz
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Pakistan High Commissioner to Malaysia, Syed Hasan Raza, has announced to promote Pakistan’s exports in Malaysia in a broader way and assist the business community to hold single country exhibition in Kuala Lumpur. 

Speaking at a seminar at FPCCI with the collaboration of Halal Association of Pakistan the other day, Hasan Raza also announced that Mango and Orange Festivals would also be held in Malaysia in order to promote Pakistan’s fruits’ export into Malaysia. 

The seminar was also addressed by the Chief Executive, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), S.M. Muneer and Kazi Asad Abid, Chairman Halal Products and Services Association of Pakistan (HPSAP). 

The High Commissioner highlighted the potential of fruits and vegetables, readymade garments and Halal products as his focus sectors. He also informed the initiatives he has taken for the promotion of Pakistan imports to Malaysia. 

S M Muneer, Chief Executive TDAP welcoming the High Commissioner appreciated his detailed presentation and informed the audience saying that he recently held a meeting with the Minister of Commerce and highlighted the importance of Pakistani foreign missions in promotion of exports. 

He said that he has taken up this matter with the ministry and a list would be updated of Pakistani foreign consulates / embassies officials which are not performing their duties as per the role assigned to them for the promotion of Pakistani exports. 

Kazi Asad Abid, Chairman HPSAP, recognized that Ambassador Hasan Raza has visited the FPCCI and Pakistan-Malaysia Business Council on the initiative of Founder and Senior Vice Chairman of Halal Association Asad Sajjad. 

He said that business community is well aware that for the last several years about the importance of halal branding and harmonization of standards, making efforts to bring Pakistan on the global map of Halal trade. 

He added that Ambassador Hasan Raza had also initiated and helped us organized the first Halal Trade delegation to Malaysia, under the leadership of then foreign minister. The delegation had literally opened Pakistan’s halal products export with Malaysia as most of the delegation members are now regular exporters to Malaysia. 

Kazi Asad Abid remarked that business community is very happy that Mr. Hasan Raza is now posted in Malaysia as the Ambassador and we are sure that he will do his best efforts to identify and create opportunities for our exporters to increase Pakistan’s exports to Malaysia for the Halal certified Food and non-food products. 

Appreciating the appointment of S M Muneer as the CE of TDAP, Kazi Asad assured the audience that HAP will organize similar lectures on regular basis, especially for the markets which are still not open for Pakistan, and would make efforts to resolve the issues and difficulties faced by the exporters under the dynamic leadership of S M Muneer, who hailed from the private sector and would be there for the promotion of exports.