Central Asia road-show: People throng to TDAP caravan in Bishkek

President Kyrgyz chamber of commerce says such events will enhance trade ties.

KARACHI: Trade Caravan, an initiative of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to introduce Pakistani products in the Central Asian States reached Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, on Wednesday.

According to a press release, the exhibition will be held at Bishkek from May 18 to 19. Pakistan Embassy at Bishkek has invited all relevant government organisations and chambers to the inauguration of the event.

Meanwhile, TDAP has made special arrangements of B2B meetings for delegates and exhibitors. There is a lot of interest among buyers of Kyrgyzstan in leather, pharmaceutical, textile products, surgical instruments and sports goods, the press release said. Pakistan Embassy at Kyrgyzstan has said that buyers are anxiously waiting for this event as promotion was started one month earlier, it added.

The trade development body is organising Road Caravan across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan from May 13 to 25. The exhibition at Kazakhstan was held from May 13 to 15 and tremendous response was received from local buyers and visitors.

The state owned news agency, APP, quoting message received from Bishkek, reported that people flocked to the venue on the first day of Trade Caravan. Apart from business-to-business deals, the venue Hayat Regency saw thriving retail sales too.

The event was jointly inaugurated by TDAP secretary Rabiya Javeri Agha and Rima Apasova, President, Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Kyrgyz Republic, it said.

Apasova said that such events would enhance bilateral trade between the two brotherly countries. Rabiya Javeri Agha said: “We are showcasing an entire spectrum of Pakistani products in Central Asia and Trade Caravan is an initiative of TDAP to link the bridge between Pakistan and Central Asia.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2016.