KARACHI, Oct 30: Minister of state and chairman Export Promotion Bureau Tariq Ikram on Wednesday said that the EPB had prepared a comprehensive draft of export development plan which will work as a road map for boosting exports.
Speaking as a chief guest at the launching ceremony of 3rd edition of FPCCI’s booklet on “Trade between Pakistan and major regional economic grouping,” he said 75 per cent of EPB’s funds are spent on export promotional activities, which include holding of exhibitions and sending of trade delegations abroad.
Appreciating the third edition of the booklet, he said, the real work starts when an analysis is made of the data compiled in such booklets. Tariq Ikram suggested to the FPCCI that its next objective is to draw proposals and suggestions from the maze of data compiled in the booklet.
Referring to the demand raised by the president FPCCI, Iftikhar Ali Malik seeking allocation of Rs5 million for Research and Development (RD) from the Export Development Fund (EDF), he said the FPCCI should submit a comprehensive plan that justifies the need for such a huge fund.
However, EPB chief suggested to the FPCCI that instead of over burdening its resources the apex body of trade and industry should outsource such a job where many professional bodies are readily available.
Responding to a point raised by Iftikhar Ali Malik that Pakistani trade missions aboard do not have funds to circulate documents that could assist in promotion of trade, he said, the FPCCI should try to put such information on its website and save huge expenditure on postage.
Tariq Ikram also briefly recalled the structural changes brought about in the EPB and said when he took over even institutional objective was not clear but after putting a lot of efforts and analyzing our capacity the bureau is clear about its aims and objectives and a strategy has been evolved which could work as a road map.
Citing an example, he said women entrepreneurs have been included in EPB’s permanent strategy, and also created human resource development division, besides creating separate slots, which are product and geographic specific for promotion of exports.
Besides promotion of exports, he said EPB’s another role is to compile data and keep updating it for the benefit of external trade. On his directives the basic information about 4000 local exporters have been updated and 41,000 foreign importers from all over the world.
In the past, he said EPB website used to get around 1500 to 2000 hits per month but now it has rose to 450,000 hits which indicate that the site is very informative as well as up-to-date.
In his address of welcome the President FPCCI, Iftikhar Ali Malik said that the third edition of the booklet, though late, provides more comprehensive information about the profiles and Pakistan’s trade structure with the 10 regional economic groupings namely G-8, EU, NAFTA, ASEAN, ECO, SAARC, GCC, MERCOSUR, SADC and Indian Ocean Rim.
He asked the EPB to buy around 500 copies of the booklet for distribution to foreign missions and commercial consular based in Islamabad.
Dr Anwarul Haque presenting vote of thanks said there should be close coordination between the FPCCI and EPB for the promotion of trade activities as well as exports.