Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Chief Executive Mian Kashif Ashfaq Monday felicitated newly elected President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ruwan Edirisinghe, a Sri Lankan tycoon in construction company and hoped that he will utilize his best leadership flair and available resources for the promotion of trade and industry in South Asian region.
Lahore, (Pakistan Point News - 2nd Apr, 2018) : Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Chief Executive Mian Kashif Ashfaq Monday felicitated newly elected President SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ruwan Edirisinghe, a Sri Lankan tycoon in construction company and hoped that he will utilize his best leadership flair and available resources for the promotion of trade and industry in South Asian region. In his felicitation message dispatched here today to SAARC CCI Chief, Mian Kashif is sanguine about the bright future of South Asia under new dynamic leadership of Ruwan and said PFC is ready to work together with SAARC CCI on providing opportunities and exposures to youth on skills, entrepreneurship and education.
He said SAARC CCI president would focus on his six point agenda, which included greater investments, the promotion of Industrial Parks, promotion of Youth Angels and development of Smart Green Villages among them. With fresh and new ideas, with vibrant and dynamic energy, Ruwan with his team of newly elected VPs will assure that he and his team will dedicate their next two years for the advancement and betterment of South Asia. He further said that it is a proper time now for Pakistani businessmen to avail good business opportunities in the South Asian region as he is much optimistic that all SAARC state members will dissolve all their political and trade related issues realizing that over the next 10 years, countries in the Asia region will play a competitive role in competing with each other or in parallel.
It will not be a single market like Europe. It will be a competitive market," he said. Mian Kashif, who is also life member SAARC chamber said PFC wants to play its due role for the development of furniture industry in South Asia and similarly SAARC Chamber of Commerce should also ensure that our businesses are in line with these developments. He apprised Ruwan Edirisinghe of the efforts PFC is being taken to promote South Asian specific designed furniture during British raj and post colonial age.
He said that furniture with calligraphic engraving had great demand in local and international markets, which seems to be the dominant one in Pakistan, therefore Pakistani craftsmen should focus on working in this particular area to earn the much-needed foreign exchange. He said Pakistan handmade world class furniture is also in great demand in middle East, Europe, Canada and USA. He said after traditional furniture, luxury furniture made from wood is estimated to dominate the market while the luxury furniture made from glass would witness the highest growth rate, registering a CAGR of 8% during 2015-2020.
He said the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) is a way to ensure the competitiveness of Pakistani industries while safeguarding and expanding. "To safeguard and expand Pakistani industries we have to ensure that we are competitive. SAFTA is only a starting point. From there onwards we can make bilateral agreements with countries in South East Asia. We can be more selective because if you look at our services many of ours do not trade with all the countries.
We should do. But the bilateral agreements will allow to deepen our trade relations with the countries which are closest to us with whom we trade mostly," he continued. PFC Chief said it is essential that we are looking at the infrastructure, capital, human resources and the administrative measures to do business. With this we hope that our local furniture enterprises will expand and also will be an attraction for foreign investors to come into Pakistan.
