The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) is organizing a Pakistan Trade Caravan to display Pakistani products of interest in selected states from next week to expand the country’s export base and create linkage with other regional countries, especially with the Central Asian Republics (CARs).

The purpose of the Pakistan Trade Caravan is to increase export base, raise awareness on Pakistan and its products, provide opportunities for joint ventures, investment and brand franchising exhibition and composite display.

The caravan would comprise a series of two-day events in four Central Asian countries, including Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, wherein Pakistani products, especially textiles, agro, leather, surgical, pharma products, engineering goods, handicrafts, including wooden furniture, marble and brass would be put on display.

The prime minister of Pakistan had visited the Central Asian Republics last year accompanied by sizeable business delegations to promote trade ties. The road shows are the next step in capitalizing on the diplomatic goodwill generated during the visits by translating it into business opportunities for Pakistan.

The road shows will provide the private sector an opportunity for market linkages and capitalize on the opportunities emerging out of the recent trade diplomacy initiatives.

The road show would be divided in two groups. Group A would exhibit products in Almaty (Kazakhstan) on May 13-14 and in Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) on May 18 and 19, while the Group B of the caravan would showcase its products in Tashkent (Uzbekistan) on May 21 to 23 and in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) on May 27 and 28, according the official sources.

According to the market complementarily analysis conducted by the TDAP, there are a large number of products, which Pakistan is exporting in large volumes to the world and the Central Asian Republics are importing the same products from other global sources.

Based on the response to the road shows, Single Country Exhibitions would be subsequently organized in CARs as B2B marketing events.

The road shows would be funded through the Export Development Fund and would be non-sale events, aimed at raising the awareness of Pakistan's products in the Central Asian market and assessing the acceptability and market response.