KARACHI, Jan 8: Organizers of Heimtextil—world’s largest trade fair for home textiles held at Frankfurt every year—have recorded objections on the use of hazardous material in setting up of Pakistan stalls.

A leading textile dealer of Pakistan, who is participating in the Heimtextil in Frankfurt these days, informed Dawn

by telephone that organizers of the trade fair took serious notice of a fire prone material used in setting up of Pakistan stalls. These stalls were prepared by the Export Promotion Bureau.

“The EPB has used bamboo for setting up stalls to accommodate around 40 to 50 participants from Pakistan,” he said.

The EPB has hired the services of a lady designer for designing and colour scheming of Pakistani stalls at the fair. “But the overall presentation of Pakistani stall gave Bangladesh or Vietnamese look,” the participant pointed out alleging that neither the setting nor the colour or the decor has any Pakistani touch.

Indian stalls are set up just opposite the Pakistani stalls, and, according to this participant, “these have elegant and impressive look.”

A look at Pakistani stalls prepared by EPB gives depression to the viewers as there are no spotlights, and the finish is crude with no carpets on the floor.

On the other hand, another 100 stalls set up by exhibitors from Pakistan, participating on their own in the Heimtextil, which is visited by prospective buyers from around the world, are well decorated and give a pleasant look to visitors.

On the intervention of the commercial counsellor from Pakistani mission, Nasir Butt the organizers — Messe Frankfurt — took a lenient view of the situation and allowed the EPB to maintain their stalls, but not before bringing the entire episode on records.