Pak traders likely to give PITEX a miss

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, December 3

Visitors will likely to miss the famous non-vegetarian dishes, articles and fashion line of Pakistani traders and chefs during the annual edition of the Punjab International Trade Expo (PITEX) scheduled to be held in Amritsar from December 6 to December 10.

It seems that the cross-border tension has taken over the bonhomie of Gurdwara Kartarpur corridor facilitation. There are indications that Pakistan will not be actively part of this much-awaited PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI)-sponsored trade and cultural bonanza.

Confirming the development, the resident director of the PHDCCI, Pardeep Rattan, said there were bleak chances of Pakistani traders, industrialists and chefs’ participation in PITEX due to the ongoing border tension.

PITEX is organised in collaboration with the Punjab Government as the host state. It is part of PHD chamber’s endeavour to give a boost to business activities in the region.

Pakistan, along with other SAARC countries, has been a regular participant for the past 10 years till 2015. The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry had shown immense enthusiasm for the event in the past. Pakistani cotton, embroidered fabrics, leather goods, silver filigree footwear and onyx stone handicrafts had attracted the maximum visitors.

For the past three years, the participation of Pakistan has remained confined to just for name sake.

“The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not granted visa to the Pakistani traders this time as well. Though their negligible participation can be counted as those having SAARC visa may turn up midway, they could be just a few may be three or four,” he added.

The fair will be formally inaugurated by the Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister, Navjot Singh Sidhu, on December 6.

RS Sachdeva, chairman, Punjab state chapter, PHD, said, “A total of 375 stalls would be set up during the fair. There will be 26 stalls of foreign traders, including Thailand with the maximum, Turkey, Afghanistan and Egypt. Besides from Punjab, domestic exhibitors form Uttrakhand, Rajasthan and J&K will take part in the fair.”

Punjab-based companies will exhibit products related to automobiles, bicycles, agriculture machinery and implements, textiles, home décor, healthcare and sports, along with medical equipment.

The state Tourism Department will apprise the visitors of the opportunities, policy initiatives and challenges in the field of tourism.

Sachdeva said this time, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises would describe capacity building of small units to make them globally competitive. He said there were plans to set up a food processing unit in Amritsar.

Last year, A memoranda of understanding worth Rs2,258 crore were signed during the fair.