Islamabad: The Export Development Fund’s (EDF) board of administrators (BoA) approved, among other projects, Rs70 million funds for the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) to be held in November this year at the Expo Centre Karachi.
The approval was given at the 72nd meeting of the EDF BoA, held under the chairmanship of the Minister of Commerce Khurram Dastgir on Tuesday.
IDEAS is the country’s major defence exhibition in which public and private sector along with foreign companies producing defence equipment participate and showcase their products.
Women entrepreneurs
The BoA also approved Rs10 million for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Women Entrepreneurs Skill Development Programme in Peshawar, under which the training centres for K-P women entrepreneurs will be established with the aim to explore new markets and improve products for export-oriented activities in Central Asia, Afghanistan and India.
Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WCCI) Peshawar will implement the project in collaboration with the K-P Small Industries Development Board.
The proposed programme will focus its trainings towards the revival of local products, which have the potential for exports. About 600 women entrepreneurs will be imparted training in two years.
Fisheries
The board further approved funding a project of Fisheries Development Board to establish pen fish farm of sea bass and groupers along the coastal belt of Thatta and Badin.
Under the project 50 pen fish farms will be established; each of 1200 sq. yards with total area of 12.5 acre. Pen culture is a technology of fish production in which an enclosure is established in shallow seawater or in a creek area outside sea. The project aims to promote the fisheries sector through private sector investment in high-value aquaculture and farming systems.
Embroidery, leather products
Another Rs5 million was approved for the up-gradation of embroidery unit of the Leather Product Development Institute Sialkot. Once the project is completed, it would impart training to the aspiring students on modern machineries.
Dastgir directed the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) to prepare for the Expo Astana 2017 with the theme ‘Expo-Energy for Life’, which will be held for three months and focus on renewable energy and its exports.
