KARACHI - Pakistan International Trade Fair (PITF) will prove to be a gateway for Pakistani industries to global markets as 300 companies including 100 international firms have confirmed their participation in it.
This was stated by Hanif Gohar, Chairman Fair and Exhibition FPCCI, at the pre-event media briefing of the upcoming PITF at local hotel here on Saturday. The PITF will be held at Karachi Expo Center from October 26-29. Gohar said that a very positive response has been received from the foreign countries including Belarus, China, Iran, Malaysia, Russia, UAE, South Korea, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Germany, US, and Japan.
“President Mamnoon Hussain will inaugurate this trade fair, while high-profile dignitaries such as Governors and Chief Ministers of all the provinces, federal and provincial ministers, and members from the diplomatic core will visit this fair. Governor Sindh Mohammad Zubair has also allowed us to have its soft launch at the Governor House on the 13th,” said Gohar.
He said they are organizing this fair at grand level as six halls of Expo Center have already booked, and this is first attempt of FPCCI in the last 35 years to organize such kind of events since 1984.
While giving the details of the participating companies, Haris Ali Mithani, Senior Vice Chairman Fairs & Exhibition FPCCI, informed that the products and services from major sectors to be showcased in PITF-2017 include textile, construction & building material, chemical, FMCG brands, pharmaceuticals, automobiles, electrical & electronics, financial services, handicrafts and logistics etc.
Mithani also commented that during PITF-2017 there will be hundreds of high level meetings planned on the side lines of the exhibition between trade bodies and foreign delegates, key government officials and participants of the exhibition to forge alliances and joint ventures in trade and industry.
“At the time when Pakistan’s exports are declining and political environment is being critical, this exhibition will prove that Pakistan is still a land of opportunities. We have followed an international method in hosting this 4-day exhibition while we are working on organizing 10-day exhibitions, fairs in the future,” said Mithani.
He added that the CPEC Seminar is another important facet of PITF, which will be held on the second day of the fair and important papers and investment information will be disseminated by the learned speakers and professionals from government and those who are directly associated in various projects in CPEC.
“The hall six of the center will be Chinese pavilion where 48 Chinese companies will exhibit their products. The hall 5 will have multinational companies, and in hall 4 high brands from Pakistan will exhibit. The hall 3 will have electronic, home appliances, building materials while hall 2 will have developers and builders,” said Mithani.
Also, various associated events such as the youth festival, fashion shows by textile firms and a gala dinner upon the closing day of the fair will be held. “We want to change perception about Pakistan at international level. Our industries need exposure. Trade is our prime concern now,” said Mithani.
COO Badar Expo Solutions and the organizer of PITF Zohair Naseer said that holding PITF-2017 is of great significance as almost every trade and industrial sector of Pakistan has representation in it. “Special arrangements have been made to facilitate coverage of the event by local and international media, by setting up a fully functional media center,” he added.
The Exhibition will be open for invited delegations comprising officials from participating foreign countries and trade visitors. The fair will be open to the general public and students of colleges and universities on the last two days of the exhibition.
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