ISLAMABAD Dec 7: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday said that the country was in sight of achieving the annual export volume of $20 billion in next three-four years if the present pace of value added products and export growth continued.

The country has earned $12.313 billion exports in the last year which expected to swell up to $13.7 billion this year showing 12.3 percent increase. The prime minister was speaking as chief guest at the 28th FPCCI Export Trophy Awards ceremony for 2003-04.

The ceremony was held almost an hour late at the auditorium of prime minister's secretariat because of security reasons. A sizable number of industrialists and businessmen attended the function.

It was second Export Trophy Award ceremony within four months as earlier the 27th FPCCI export trophy award ceremony for the year 2002-2003 was presided over by the stop-gap premier Ch. Shujaat Hussain at Jinnah Convention Centre on August 9 last.

A total of 125 progressive exporters and entrepreneurs were awarded commendation certificates along with trophies by the premier Aziz in almost half an hour's time. President of Pakistan trophy went to Mian Umer Mansha of Nishat Mills, Faisalabad while businessmen of the year gold medals were won by five eminent entrepreneurs, including the M.D National Refinery, C.O. of Bokhari group of companies, chairman Autistic Milliner, MD Joe's Fashion Group and Tessori company.

Musarrat-un-Nisa was adjudged best lady exporter to receive trophy, with 38 awards given away for best export performance, 37 special merit trophies, and finally 42 received merit trophy awards.

Mr Aziz said in his upcoming visit to China he will explore maximum venues for the Pakistani goods as Pakistan was at the receiving end of bilateral trade so far. He asked the FPCCI to work out a clear strategy for promotion of exports through value-added and competitive products. He said there was big gap in skilled workers, which the government wanted to fill through public private partnership schemes.

He said two special export zones were being established in Karachi and Punjab focussing on textile sector, and Karachi Export processing zone is being upgraded to regional standards.

He stressed the need of demonstrating prudence and discipline in fiscal as well as financial management to send positive signals to the markets both domestic and international.

To achieve sustained export performance he said the government was making efforts in areas of facilitation, WTO related issues, export promotion and diversification, extension of export promotion zones and industrial clusters and measures to prepare for the elimination of MFA quotas by 2005.

The government, he maintained, was committed to liberalizing trade and widening export base through revival of industrial activity and strong institutional supply side measures.

Our export strategy, he said, was focused on reducing cost of doing business, increasing market access, technology and skills upgradation, social, environmental and security compliance and value addition.

He said the President and he himself were taking the agenda of expanding market access during their visits abroad. Earlier, Riaz Ahmed Tata, the president of the FPCCI presented the address of welcome and highlighted the problems of the exporters.

While minister for commerce Humayun Akhtar Khan was missing because he was accompanying General Musharraf in his visit to European countries, the EPB chairman was also conspicuous by his absence at the award giving ceremony.

APP ADDS: Thirty eight exporters were given Best Export Performance Trophy Awards for 2003-04.