06 February 2005	Sunday	26 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Feb 5: The Expo 2005 exhibits a wide range of Pakistani industrial and consumer goods but offers no entertainment or any pleasant diversion. Yet on Saturday afternoon, at about 1pm, there was an unending stream of people trying to make their way in the exhibition which gave it a much-needed carnival atmosphere and a "mela touch".

Apparently all efforts to keep the Expo 2005 a plain and colourless business event have failed when doors of the exhibition were thrown open to the general public on Saturday.

Afternoon is not an appropriate time to visit any trade fair or exhibition, but the people from all parts of the city had started thronging the expo. There was a rush, but it was disciplined. With the course of time, the rush kept on swelling and by late evening it was virtually a houseful situation.

"I am not at all prepared to see such a big crowd in front of my stall," Javed Kaim Khani, chief executive of a readymade garments company, complained. Like 450 other stalls in the exhibition, Mr Khani's stall, which displayed apparels and clothing, is open from all sides. It is designed for exhibition before a selected class of visitors who may see the products at a glance from a distance and if they are interested they enter the stall and talk with the company representatives. It was unable to keep the crowd that included a large number of women and children away from the clothing on display.

Difficult to quantify now, a large number of 450 stall-holders in the exhibition spoke of business enquiries they have received and many of them did talk of "some business". "It will be at the end of the day we will make assessment of the business contracts," Abdul Wahid of a food stall replied.

The 150m-rupee show is the first step taken by the Export Promotion Bureau to exhibit a variety of Pakistani industrial and consumer products to over 1,150 foreign visitors. Of this total investment, Rs90 million has come from the private sector as a rent of their stalls and other charges, while the government is said to have put in Rs60 million. Total expenditure may exceed Rs150 million in the final count because of security expenses.

"The main purpose was to dispel the fears of the foreign buyers about the law and order breakdown in Karachi," an official remarked. He was of the view that the objective had been achieved to a large extent. There were a few crackers' explosions on Friday, but by and large things went well in the city.

EPB officials are expected to take a hard view of the experience they had gained from their first venture and apply their new lessons in the next Expo 2006. "The first step can never be perfect and is bound to some slip," a senior official confided, but was confident that they would do much better next time. "It does not mean that the EPB failed in its first attempt."

Pinning hope that the law and order should have been adequately addressed in the next one year, the Expo 2006 should involve greater number of public, less visible security arrangements and some entertainment and education with the business.

"My whole display has been spoiled," Mr Khani moaned but was cheerful when asked if he booked any export orders. "It is too early to say about the orders but American and Britain buyers did talk to us to explore supply possibilities."

But Nafisa Athar, who came all the way from Lahore to manage her company stall of home textiles, was happy. With a very big turnout of Pakistani visitors she also received a number of foreign buyers who "have a lot on interesting enquiries". She is confident of follow-up negotiations with quite a few of these foreigners.

Textile remained the main attraction for the local crowd as well as foreign visitors. Leather goods, including footwear, garments and other items, marble and onyx, tiles, food and furniture also got encouraging response.

The Rice Exporters Association and its seven members had also set up their stalls and were trying to convince foreign buyers of good quality and variety of rice they were offering.

Security concerns dominated the Expo 2005 that kept the people away from the exhibition for three days and irritated the stall-holders many of whom could not enter the premises on Wednesday evening when President Pervez Musharraf inaugurated the show. Around 1,150 visitors, including 600 or so invited officially, were not allowed to carry mobile phones and cameras.