The Women Wing of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has organised the exhibition with collaboration from Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).
The stalls in the exhibition hall were mostly deserted and the attendants were either lounging or chatting with each other. Many stall-holders, who talked to Business Recorder, were not happy with the organisers. They were unanimous in their notion that the event was badly organised and wrangling among many stakeholders had spoilt the exhibition.
A lady, who has come from Bahawalpur, confided in Business Recorder, on the condition of anonymity, that the organisers had not taken the exhibition seriously.
According to her, the event was managed in a casual manner and the media was not taken along as no press conference was arranged. She lamented about the fact that she had come with her family to run her home-made embroidered dress stall after spending considerable amount of money but lack of customer patronage had made the trip useless.
Samina Fazil, president, Rawalpindi Islamabad Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, was distraught with the condition prevailing in the exhibition. She was sure that the exhibition could have been a great success if it was arranged with due care and devotion. She expressed her disapproval about some government departments that had caused mayhem by declaring it a commercial venture.
An organiser present in the hall informed Business Recorder that the exhibition was supposed to be a grooming for the upcoming young women entrepreneurs, who had their first exposure in a national exhibition. But the expectations mired in gloom from the first day of the exhibition.
"It is more pity as the exhibition is being held in Karachi that has shown enthusiasm and understanding for the exhibitions," she groaned. "Look at the success of the Lifestyles in Karachi. People thronged the exhibition and that was a real success," she concluded morosely.
Some visitors complained about the security at the entrance gates that had very little courtesy and denied entry to them. They thought it happened because the organisers had not co-ordinated with the security.
The security people said that they were told by the organisers to admit the general public after 3 pm.