The textile exporters associations have expressed concern over delay in issuing entry passes for Pakistan Expo-2005 beginning from Wednesday by the Export Promotion (EPB). The Patron-In-chief of Towel Manufacturers Association (TMA) said that the EPB had reportedly opened a counter in Expo Centre, where the passes were issued after submitting applications, describing the names of the applicants and their companies and their ID cards along with other details and after severe scrutiny, the passes are issued.

He said that the industrialists who were making new investments and were interested in purchasing new machinery or searching for new markets had not time to form a queue for visiting the Expo.

Rizvi deplored the system to obtain entry passes for the government recognised trade associations which were the real stakeholders in value added textile exports which fetch about 67 percent foreign exchange earnings for the country.

He said that if the EPB was really interested in making the event a success, it should immediately supply passes according to the memberships of the associations so that they might be distributed to all their members. Such events were only successful and of benefit to the country if the attendance of the real stakeholders was ensured.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005