LAHORE: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), United Business Group (UBG) and Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) have felicitated Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Chief Executive Mian Kashif Ashfaq for conducting successfully a series of eight glittering 3-day mega ‘Interiors Pakistan’ exhibitions across the country.
In his message to PFC Chief Executive, FPCCI President Zubair Tufail said PFC’s Interiors Pakistan exhibitions were playing a vital role to boost furniture industry locally and internationally.
He said the PFC events were boosting the visitor economy through domestic and international visitation, facilitating small business growth by connecting buyers and sellers, knowledge sharing leading to innovation and business collaboration and providing a platform for international trade and investment.
In his message, LCCI President Abdul Basit said the PFC had been playing its due role in economic wellbeing of the country and LCCI would provide furniture exhibitors level playing field enabling them to conduct their business with peace of mind and add up to the important revenue to the national exchequer. He said the local furniture products were excellent and present their culture.
SM Muneer Patron-in-Chief United Business Group and Chief Executive Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) said the objective of Interiors Pakistan was to give exposure to local entrepreneurs
to the major markets in Pakistan. “This activity aims at uplifting socio-economic condition of the community and connect the entrepreneurs with direct buyers”, he added.
Vice President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Iftikhar Ali Malik, appreciating the positive role of PFC Chief Executive Mian Kashif, said with a little innovation, investment and government support, furniture industry can generate even more employment and income from sustainable economy. He said textiles and rice were currently the largest exports of Pakistan bringing in $14 billion
and $2 billion of foreign exchange, respectively. Furniture exports on the other hand stand at a meager $51 million. FPCCI Regional Chairman Punjab Manzoor ul Haq Malik said the holding of three-day Interiors Pakistan exhibitions would not only promote economic activities in the country, but would also encourage furniture exports. “Fairs and exhibitions not only attract foreign buyers and bring in much needed foreign exchange, but also highlight the soft image of Pakistan”, he added. Expressing his gratitude for chambers’ support to promote furniture’s fairs inside the country, Chief Executive PFC Mian Kashif Ashfaq said the ‘Interiors Pakistan’ is an opportunity for the largest furniture companies and interior designers across the country to display their products. He further said that with its previous experience, the PFC remained one of the most distinctive channels for regional and international companies to penetrate the global market.
