Textile exporters cheer rave response from foreign buyers

KARACHI: Textile sector's exhibitors were expecting a surge in procurement orders from foreign buyers who thronged the four-day defence expo Ideas 2018 on Wednesday.

“Most of the delegates are interested in fabric, shoes and other such smaller goods such as gloves and leather products,” a military officer told The News, requesting anonymity.

“Not everybody has come to procure aircraft and tanks. We know that and we are promoting non-defence products, a role trade associations should have played.”

The International Defence Exhibition and Seminar began on Tuesday. It will continue till November 30 and is being attended by 262 high-level delegations from 51 different countries.

The exhibition houses a large number of local exhibitors – other than defence related products – including manufacturers and services.

Over 522 exhibitors are displaying their products; of which dozens of stalls are occupied by non-defence local manufacturers and service providers, who are vying to attract foreign orders.

Master Textile Mills, displaying a range of woven fabrics mostly for uniforms, is receiving very positive response from foreign delegates.

“We are quite hopeful of getting orders for our woven fabrics as delegates have demonstrated much interest in locally produced fabric, which they usually procure from China,” a representative of the textile mill said. Master Textile exports products to Europe and USA.

Tariq Khan of a product verification firm SGS Pakistan (Private) Limited said the company provides product and process verification service for both imported and exported goods.

“We are receiving good response from foreign delegates particularly for pre-shipment inspection services regarding goods they import from Pakistan,” Khan said.

Local auto parts manufacturers, motorcycle assemblers, cutlery manufacturers, leather goods producers, information technology services, textile millers, printing press, electric switch and gears manufacturers among others are seen prominent at the defence exhibition.

“The response is lacklustre, but we hope to secure some foreign orders,” Romeen Qaiser, a representative at the Dar Cutlery Works stall said. “We produce high quality cutlery and are already exporting to UAE.”

Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) also set up its stall at the Ideas 2018.

President KCCI Junaid Ismail Makda

said local partners, which are KCCI

members, represent foreign companies at the event.

“Being the major stakeholder of the country’s trade and industry KCCI is participating at the international event to pursue export enhancement and import substitution,” Makda said.

Ideas 2018 brings together defence industry players from different parts of the

world. Besides Pakistan, other major exporters of defence technology including China, the Czech Republic, France,

Germany, Italy, Jordan, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Turkey, UAE, Ukraine and USA

have their exclusive country pavilions at the event.

New inventions of Pakistan’s defence industry including those from Global Industrial Solutions, Pakistan Ordnance Factories,

Military Vehicles Research and Development Establishment, Shibli Electronics, Universal Smart Military Systems and Daudson Armoury are also being showcased at the exhibition.