October 08, 2006	Sunday	Ramazan 14, 1427

KARACHI, Oct 7: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan will be the chief patron of the exhibition “Basmati Village” and a seminar to be held in December at the Karachi Expo Centre.

The governor has convened a broad-based meeting at the Governor House to discuss the arrangements for holding the 2-day event on a large scale and in a befitting manner.

All concerned provincial ministers, secretaries, and chairman of Export Promotion Bureau will attend the meeting.

Former chairman of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (Reap) Abdul Rahim Janoo said here on Saturday that the governor had taken keen interest in the event and assured the Reap of his full support in organising this first-ever rice exhibition and seminar.

He said that the Reap delegation had apprised the governor about the benefits of organising the basmati village and said it would help in boosting export of basmati rice by at least $300 to 400 million.

Mr Janoo said the governor also expressed his desire to project the image of Karachi outside Pakistan as a peaceful, vibrant and investment-friendly metropolis.

He said that the governor had directed the Sindh government to jointly sponsor the event with the Reap. He will also host a grand dinner for foreign delegates attending the exhibition at the Governor House.

Dr Ibad also agreed to request President Pervez Musharraf to inaugurate the event, he added.

The Reap former chief said that some 200 foreign buyers and delegates from rice research institutes of Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and India will visit the exhibition.

About 60 leading Pakistani exporters of basmati rice and small and medium enterprises will have stalls at the basmati village. Small exporters will be provided stalls at concessional rates, he added.

The foreign delegates will also visit paddy fields in Muridke during the exhibition to see quality of Pakistani rice.—APP