My Karachi – 2009 Exhibition

Ref: LETTER TO EDITOR Date: April 27, 2009


My Karachi – 2009 Exhibition

My Karachi – An Oasis of Harmony Exhibition is a very prestigious annual event organized by Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry every summer. This year it would be on June 5-7 at the Karachi Expo Center. The Fourth MKC was held during my tenure, two weeks after the May 12, 2007 mayhem in Karachi. Inspite of this trauma, over 400,000 Karachi citizens flocked to the Expo and made it a super success. Foreign participation was also very encouraging, especially from Sri Lanka. This year too, the KCCI is all thumbs up in making this event a resounding success.

Pakistan is going thru tough economic difficulties. This is the time to project and promote Pakistani business and services excellence. Moreover, foreign exhibitors are also encouraged to come and present their wares. The government is also keen to ensure that Pakistani entrepreneurs get all facilities and incentives to market their products. It is also imperative that with the shrinking wallet, the discerning consumer is provided quality goods at affordable prices.

In order to facilitate manufacturers and service providers, in order to encourage export based entrepreneurs, and in order to project the soft side of Pakistani trade and industry, it is very sincerely proposed to Syed Mohibullah Shah, Chief Executive of Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, to provide the total infrastructure at Karachi Expo Center on a complimentary basis to KCCI so that the Chamber can draw more SMEs, especially women entrepreneurs, to promote their products at an attractive rate. TDAP is spending millions on foreign exhibition participation and the benefits go to a limited number of participants. This is an important tool that TDAP utilizes and is very essential.

TDAP must forego its rentals and enable KCCI to organize the event without this added cost. As it is, whatever surplus KCCI manages to save is not used for Chamber purposes but it is entirely donated to a worthwhile cause, such as the Police Hospital.

I would also request OICCI, American Business Council, various bilateral Forums, and trade associations to participate in this remarkable venture. It is very important that My Karachi Exhibition be considered as a MUST event and thus formidable government support is also required. During the MKC in my tenure, KESC had honored its pledge not to do loadshedding at the Expo Center. I do hope this would be repeated this year too. Moreover, inspite of the May 12 tragedy, we at KCCI maintained just a modicum of security and we ensured that exhibitors and visitors were neither harassed nor inconvenienced. This was all possible because the citizens of Karachi take their city and events very seriously. They own Karachi.

I am also sanguine that President KCCI, Anjum Nisar, would steer his team with all gusto and make MKC 2009 an event to remember during his tenure.

Sincerely:

Majyd Aziz
Ex President KCCI