Pegasus is an acclaimed event manager working to uplift the growing local export industry. Pegasus Consultancy has set high standards and brought good name to Pakistan in Conference & Exhibition industry. In a very short span of time, it has created a blend of professionalism, creativity and dynamism that is hard to match which has helped itself to attain a pedestal position with all its success in Pakistan.
SR) What are the prospects of Event Management in Pakistan and where does it now stand?
AAS) I believe that Event Management industry in Pakistan has grown out of its infancy stage but still it's a relatively new industry. With expo centre coming up at Lahore and other plans to create expo centres at Islamabad and Faisalabad we see a great potential and a better prospect for this Industry.Management
SR) What are the Sentiments of Foreign exhibitors about Pakistan?
AAS) Foreign exhibitors have always been welcomed by the local industry because it helps them in analyzing different technologies. Accordingly the foreign exhibitors show their heart felt desires to invest more in the Pakistani market. This has certainly helped a lot of foreign manufacturing units in introducing newer technologies and increasing their productivity and effectiveness.
SR) How has Exhibition Industry been able to support the Pakistani Economy?
AAS) Economic growth that we've seen in the last 5 to 7 years is phenomenal. Pakistan is among the fastest growing economies in the world and exhibition is a major component which has cultivated the foreign interests and produced a better understanding with Pakistani and the foreign markets. In future as well the economy would grow very strong and exhibitions would play a pivotal role. You see the past 7 years almost every industry has performed we the Economy has grown better! This momentum that has been built certainly will move forward.
Similar economies like China, Russia etc. have the leapt forward because they aren't affected my heinous issues as terrorism their growth rate is 9 to 10 per cent a year and they are huge countries as compared to Pakistan. Technically we should be achieving higher growth! We are losing 3 to 4 per cent of our growth because of terrorism. That's what I personally feel.
SR) It is a common perception that Foreign exhibitors are reluctant to exhibit in Pakistan, how much is it true?
AAS) Partially it is, after the 9/11 incident it became extremely extremely difficult to attract foreign investors to Pakistan or to even organise any sorts of exhibitions. It has been a constant struggle to try and convince the foreign investors to make their investments in Pakistan.
1st textile machinery show which we organised was pretty much affected by it. But the local industry encouraged us, acting like a saviour their response was overwhelming.
In the 90's locals had to see devaluation of the rupee they were forced to keep their accounts in dollars that too was wiped out after the nuclear tests even for locals there was no capital protection.
First thing that foreign investor's want is the protection of their capital. They are susceptible to environment, they're willing to take the business risk but the protection of the capital has to be there and that has to be done by the country itself.
It is a different Pakistan today for the locals and for the investors that are abroad. Seven years that have elapsed they've seen the sustainability and the outcome of the previous years they are avidly keen to invest now.
SR) What is Pegasus and what does it operations include?
AAS) In 1999 we started a consultancy business where we were advising foreign companies how to enter the Pakistani market, at that time we met a Singaporean company that organized exhibition and conferences.
They proposed us that the best way to promote trade is by holding exhibitions and conferences. We than decided to give a proposal to the government so that we could promote investment, trade, exports, privatization etc. Eventually we got approved for organising an International Defence Exhibition and they wanted us to work for them.
Pegasus organises International trade shows that are on textile, oil gas and energy, fire and security, food packaging, food processing, telecom communication, machine textile and garments exhibition It cultivates genuine relationship between buyers and the sellers by organising one to one talks, meetings, factory visits. Now it's just not enough to take samples or to shows brochures, you need much more than that. Pegasus bundles all the exporters on a single platform. It maximizes the benefit of their visit.
SR) How much does political un-certainty affect our Exhibition Industry?
AAS) Politics and security issues are the prime factors which produce the outcome of a certain exhibition! Deteriorating political situation will always dampen all our efforts to promote harmonizing trade relationships between us and the foreigners. Let me say that the years of democracy we saw in the 90's it was a stop and go situation political changes were so frequent that even economical policies were modified or altered completely. What we saw since the year 2000 was a period of complete stability and with stability we got political stability and un-modified trade and economical policies. The Government had a chance to see beyond and make futuristic policies It's a different Pakistan now from the Pakistan we had in 90's!.
SR) Can these Elections change the trade route and have a negative impact?
AAS) We are yet to see that how political players play their cards in this election. The only thing that can affect now is the outcome of elections. What kind of so-called national govt will we have will then how stable it may or may not be? These things are to be worried after the elections I don't see anything coming out before March.
SR) Exhibition Industry and Media how do you contemplate?
AAS) Media is so strong so strong now we have 50 channels; channels that are working outside this country also broadcast about this country this has brought people more closer. The world has grown in to a global village generating bigger and better opportunities.
SR) "Ideas 2000" was a unique effort of its kind?
AAS) Yes!! Obviously that show was of its kind at that time, which from then has started a whole industry and the exhibition paid of really well. The whole concept was General Pervez Musharraf's. Though we've moved on we don't organize it any more we take pride in saying that we are the trend setters of defence exhibitions in Pakistan.
SR) What Major Projects does Pegasus have in the pipe line?
AAS) We're all geared up to organise EXPO PAKISTAN 2008 the exhibition which is one of its kind. EXPO PAKISTAN 2008 would bring approximately 1000 foreign investors. Then we have MEGATEX PAKISTAN, KITS 2008 we're all loaded for the next year.