ISLAMABAD: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) and the Ministry of Commerce are set to host a three-day Made in Pakistan Exhibition & Business Forum starting today, Wednesday, at the Jeddah Center for Exhibitions & Events, unveiling a diverse range of Pakistani products to tap into the lucrative Saudi market.
Saudi Arabia presents a key export opportunity for Pakistani businesses, given its strong consumer demand, large expatriate workforce and ambitious Vision 2030 economic reforms that emphasize diversification and foreign investments.
Pakistan has sought to strengthen business-to-business (B2B) ties with the Kingdom, with both sides announcing during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Saudi Arabia last October that they had signed 34 memorandums of understanding and agreements worth $2.8 billion to enhance private sector collaboration and commercial partnerships.
“The exhibition is designed to connect Pakistani businesses with Saudi and International buyers and investors, promoting the country’s products at an important destination of Saudi market,” TDAP said in a statement earlier this week, referring to the fair running from February 5 to 7.
It said the event will offer a unique networking platform, fostering direct business collaborations across key sectors, including food, textiles, engineering and services. It will also feature products ranging from sports goods, pharmaceuticals and processed foods to construction materials and architectural design, highlighting the breadth of Pakistani exports.
“The three-day event will feature an exhibition, B2B meetings, seminars with 135+ exhibitors representing Pakistan’s diverse industries,” the statement added.
TDAP said Pakistani firms aim to capture a greater share of Saudi imports, with significant business deals expected during the expo.
Organizers have positioned the event as a cornerstone for fostering deeper trade ties, further strengthening Pakistan’s footprint in the Gulf region.
Jeddah holds inaugural ‘Made in Pakistan’ expo, spotlighting top exports
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Jeddah holds inaugural ‘Made in Pakistan’ expo, spotlighting top exports
- Expo will have sports goods, pharmaceuticals, processed foods and architectural designs
- Event will provide networking opportunities, fostering business collaborations across key sectors
Pakistan’s annual consumer price rose 5.8 percent year on year in January — statistics bureau
- The reading comes a week after the Pakistani central bank held its policy rate at 10.50 percent
- It said inflation may exceed its 5-7 percent medium-term target range for a few months this year
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s consumer price inflation rose 5.8 percent year-on-year in January, official data showed on Monday, underscoring the central bank’s warning that price pressures could temporarily breach its target band as economic activity picks up.
The reading comes a week after the central bank held its policy rate at 10.50 percent, saying inflation could exceed its 5 percent to 7 percent medium-term target range for a few months this year, even as growth gains momentum and imports push the trade deficit wider.
The reading from the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics compared with 5.6 percent in December, when prices fell on a monthly basis due to lower perishable food costs.
On a month-on-month basis, inflation increased by 0.4 percent in January.
The State Bank of Pakistan said it viewed the real policy rate as sufficiently positive to stabilize inflation over the medium term, even as it flagged stronger domestic demand and external pressures as upside risks to prices.
Pakistan’s finance ministry had projected inflation would remain within a 5 percent to 6 percent range in January.
An International Monetary Fund staff report has cautioned against premature monetary easing under Pakistan’s $7 billion loan program, urging policymakers to remain data-dependent to anchor inflation expectations and rebuild external buffers.
