KARACHI, July 16: Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan has advised exporters not to worry about the new World Trade Organization regime as the government will continue to provide protection to the local business and industry.

Speaking at the launching ceremony of Expo Pakistan 2005 here on Thursday evening, the minister said since its enforcement in 1995, the WTO had not caused any damage to the local industry.

"A change has to take place in 2005 that will abolish textile quotas for which the local industry is fully prepared," he maintained. "The government has not reduced tariffs or withdrawn subsidies under the WTO compulsions but is in line with its policy and commitments made to the international community."

The minister pointed out Pakistan and other developing countries were engaged in Doha Round of WTO in order to seek market access for their agriculture and industrial products.

"We will try our best to have a good bargain for agriculture, industry and services sectors at the Doha Round," Mr Khan declared. He said developed countries were providing a $1 billion subsidy daily to their farmers. "The end of the subsidy will increase the value and export of our agriculture products."

The commerce minister lauded the achievement made in the exports during the last four years. The exports registered a 23 per cent growth and broke the psychological barrier of $7-8 billion.

"Despite these achievements, we have to go a long way to touch the exports level of Asian Tigers." He underlined the government's role as a facilitator and to seek market access and remove non-tariff barriers and said the government was fully cognizant of the hard work of the exporters in achieving the export target.

"We are trying to create a level-playing field and are taking steps to make our exports competitive in a difficult world market environment that may emerge after the phasing out of quotas in 2005," the minister added.

He appealed to the FPCCI and others chambers to join hands with the EPB to make the Expo Pakistan 2005 an international even which would provide a chance to foreign buyers to witness a wide range of quality products.

He expressed the hope that the Expo Pakistan would find its place in the calendar of international events and would go a long way in introducing Pakistan as a land of opportunities.

Earlier, Export Promotion Bureau chairman Tariq Ikram said that the Expo Pakistan would provide an opportunity to the foreign buyers to visit Pakistan. He said most of the foreign buyers had wrong perception about Pakistan and expressed their concern over the law and order situation.

Mr Ikram said the exporters had improved the quality of their products and also worked on social compliance to meet the challenges of WTO regime. The Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim speaking on the occasion said that law and order was the first and foremost priority of his government because exports were lifeline of the country and peaceful atmosphere was must for economic activity.

However, guests were perturbed at poor arrangements and long delay in starting the function. Mostly complained about mismanagement and lack of proper facilities for which they have to wait even after the arrival of the government dignitaries.