ISLAMABAD: Senior leader of Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf Senator Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar on Monday said that Pakistan furniture industry has a big potential to dominate global markets with innovative designs and could make a substantial contribution of billions of dollars export annually.
Talking to Chief Executive of Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Mian Kashif Ashfaq, he said that PTI will properly patronizes furniture sector on priority for boosting export of Pakistani handmade furniture after forming the federal government.
Muhammad Sarwar said the upcoming PTI government will establish greater liaison with this sector to fully understand the market conditions and requirements of the industry needs to protect, develop and promote. He said his interaction is imperative in order to determine how our industries are faring and to see how they can better be supported through government interventions. He said Pakistan loses a huge amount of foreign exchange to importation; this we can be reduced by encouraging our local industries to grow by patronizing them.
He further said that he will raise voice for the support of furniture industry in senate and will persuade his colleagues to make a comprehensive plan after consulting with stakeholders in furniture industry for giving it a status of industry to furniture sector in Pakistan in order to enhance its production capacity along with innovative designs.
The PTI would also ask the concerned authorities to provide more visible support to furniture business in terms of simple and easily obtainable grants for exhibiting and travelling to trade shows and promoting local export as a success globally.
Speaking on the occasion, PFC Chief Mian Kashif said that PFC has signed an agreement with TEVTA to train woodworkers on modern scientific lines. PFC and TEVTA will hire jointly international trainers to train and educate woodworkers. He further added that patronage is a key and stressed the need for the government and the Pakistani people to increase their patronage of furniture products made by local industry. – NNI