LAHORE, Aug 27: Export Promotion Bureau chairman Tariq Ikram has said Pakistan’s exports touching the mark of about $11 billion is, indeed, a national achievement.

Speaking at a meeting of the executive council of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry here on Wednesday, he said the credit of increasing the exports did not go to the Export Promotion Bureau. It was the result of combined efforts of the government and the private sector.

He said there had been a marked difference in the approach and policies of the government during the past two to three years which had resulted in good performance of the export trade. These polices were numerous. First there was a complete transparency at the highest level from the office of the president down to the ministry of commerce which proved beneficial to the export trade.

He said the right use of the resources was visible unlike in the past when the wrong use of resources secretly had been causing harm to the nation. The second factor was the adoption of macro-economic policies which increased the turnout. Other factors included the open market mechanism, withdrawal of subsidies, reduction in tariff and duties, collaboration between the government and the private sector in the policy and decision-making process, freedom to import anything and abolition of the quota system.

Mr Ikram said Pakistan’s exports were 17 per cent of its GDP of $65 billion which was a good achievement. China’s exports were 26 per cent of its GDP and there were countries whose exports exceeded their GDP like Singapore which had 140 per cent of its GDP as its exports. But unlike Pakistan, these were the countries which import raw material for their exports.

He said a commercial importer was as important as an exporter of industrial goods because he generated economic activity and was better than an industrialist who neither exports nor generates economic activity. He said as compared to multinational companies who had all facilities of trade like acquisition of funds, best technology, a Pakistani entrepreneur who had no such facilities nor marketing incentives and manages to survive and earns profit, should be encouraged.

The EPB chief also discussed the matters relating to the formation of brands of Pakistani products like their registration in Pakistan and abroad at least in one country, the sale of the brand in three countries, advertisement of the brand product in media which would determine that the producer was serious in selling and popularizing his brand.

He said he had discussed these parameters with the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan since rice exporters had different brands and these could also be applied to other products. He said the government was ready to share the advertisement cost of various brands, but it found that it was not possible for it to share with every brand as it would involve a heavy expenditure. However, the government was prepared to share with groups or sectors of various brand products like rice, garments, leather products etc and would make sectorial allocation of funds for advertisement. The problems of gold and gem traders and jewellers were also discussed. However, he said the EPB was not associated with the on-going jewellers and gems’ exhibition.

LCCI president Yawar Irfan while giving an LCCI memento to the EPB chief said it was in appreciation and recognition of his efforts to take exports to the high level of $11 billion this year. He hoped the EPB would also achieve the next year’s target of $12.5 billion.