KARACHI: President Mamnoon Hussain said on Wednesday that the government was committed to making Pakistan a preferred destination for business.

He stated this while performing the inauguration of the 8th Expo Pakistan here at the Governor’s House.

Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Minister for State for Commerce Khurrum Dastagir, were also present.

The four-day Expo Pakistan opens at the Expo Centre on Thursday (today).

Mamnoon said that it was a great pleasure to note the presence of a large number of guests from different parts of the world here at the inaugural ceremony.

He said that today some 800 buyers had arrived to meet with the Pakistani suppliers under one roof in a B2B setting.

The president informed the delegates from abroad that the Expo Pakistan would offer them a good opportunity to explore country's potential.

“A whole range of products from various sectors and industries will be on display at the Expo tomorrow,” he added.

Mamnoon pointed out that the Expo Pakistan was premiered a few years ago to showcase Pakistan's export sector for foreign buyers.

The event is one of the very few 'export-oriented' trade fairs in the world and offers a complete basket of Pakistan's export sector.

He said in less than a decade Expo Pakistan had snowballed into the flagship trade event of Pakistan.

The president was glad that a large number of buyers present there had visited the event in the past too.

“Your continued participation reflects that you have found Expo Pakistan to be a useful business platform,” he remarked.

Mamnoon stated that the government has been consistently working to create a business-friendly environment by simplifying procedures, reducing red-tape and enhancing transparency and efficiency.

“Our government is committed to make Pakistan a preferred destination for business,” he said, adding that Pakistan is a land of business opportunities.

“We offer you, the foreign buyers, a very competitive sourcing option,” he remarked, and informed that the leaders of our industry had carved out their place in the world market due to their production efficiencies and business ethics.

The president also shared a few interesting facts that led to the strength of Pakistan's economy and pointed out that Pakistan had the sixth largest human resource and consumer base in the world.

Pakistan is the fourth largest exporter of rice in the world; the fourth largest producer of milk; and the largest producer of chilies in the world.

On the industrial side, Pakistan's textile industry was amongst the world's leaders. Bed-sheets, quilt covers, t-shirts and jeans produced in Pakistan were sold at the world's leading chain stores.

Besides producing for leading international brand names, the country's textile sector has developed quite a few home grown brands, which have now gained recognition in the foreign markets, he said.

Pakistan has the state-of-the-art rice milling and processing industry and the Basmati rice was sold as a premium product in the world market, he added.

Mamnoon said that all these strengths offer buyers unlimited business opportunities as the slogan of Expo Pakistan suggests.—APP