KARACHI, Sept 11: The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) has set up its office in Gwadar which will initially operate from the regional office of National Bank of Pakistan.

In this regard director EPB Javed Anwar Khan visited Gwadar on Tuesday and held a meeting with District Nazim Babu Gulab in his office. The meeting was also attended by prominent businessmen and government officers of Gwadar.

According to EPB sources initially an officer from the bureau would visit Gwadar every 15 days on first and 16th of each month to have interaction with the business community and to deal with the issues relating to supply chain and exports.

During the meeting various issues came under discussion but it mainly focussed on development of fisheries sector. The EPB director informed the participants that in the present trade policy the government had given priority to the development of sea food and fisheries specially shrimp farming.

He further said that the government was promoting shrimp farming and would assist in establishment of modern processing plants in Karachi, Gwadar and Pasni.

Mr. Javed said that the EPB would extend all possible support to the sea food sector and would soon organize export related seminars in Gwadar.

District Nazim Babu Gulab welcomed the initiative of EPB for establishing its office here and was also of the view that the government should focus more on shrimp farming and for this purpose proper training needed to be imparted to the stakeholders.

He further suggested that the EPB should hire consultants and take lead in setting up of model shrimp farm in Gwadar district. He extended all possible support to EPB for development of shrimp farming.

The director EPB said that the bureau would soon hold a meeting with the stakeholders of shrimp farming and processing units in Karachi, which would be chaired by Minister of State and Chairman EPB Tariq Ikram.

The EPB official also extended invitation to the district nazim to attend the meeting with other businessmen of district Gwadar.

Meanwhile, Minister of State and EPB chairman Tariq Ikram on Thursday met Sindh Chief Minister Sardar Ali Mohammad Khan Mahar in his office.

Issues relating to the development of fish farming in Sindh and related issues of infrastructure were discussed.