Trade policy: ‘Pakistan should focus on non-traditional items’

High potential present in Far East and African region .

LAHORE:

The upcoming trade policy must focus on promotion of export of non-traditional items as the country’s concentration on a few items and on selected countries is hitting the export sector hard, said Pakistan Industrial and Associations Front (PIAF) Chairman Sohail Lashari.

In his trade policy proposals on Tuesday, Lashari said that auto parts, handicrafts, precious stones, herbal medicines and fruits have a huge potential in South East Asia, Far East and African region, therefore, a little attention towards these areas could do miracles.

He said that textile sector makes no more than 65% of total export earnings and despite the fact that Pakistan produces excellent quality fruits and vegetables, Halal meat, auto parts, confectionary items, sports goods and medical equipment etcetera, their exports are not up to potential.

He said that government should ensure availability of cheap energy for the industry as the energy is the engine of industrial growth. He said that prolonged power outages have also been hitting the export-oriented industry hard.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2011.