The Ghent Fair, a 70-year-old traditional and largest consumer Trade Fair opened at Ghent, Belgium, with Pakistan as the guest-of-honour country. The opening was attended by a large number of VIPs, including ministers, European Union government officials and ambassadors of different countries. Representative of the king of Belgium, president of the government of Flanders, governor and deputy mayor of Flanders were among the attendees.

Pakistan returns to the Flanders Trade Show with resounding success after a lapse of fifteen years.

The fair would focus on textile fabrics and garments, home textile, bed linen, including bed sheets and covers, towels, curtains etc. Apart of this, the rice fruit and vegetables and other food products, sports goods, surgical and dental instruments, carpets and rugs, leather garments, and leather goods, footwear, sanitary wares, gems and jewellery, handicrafts, herbal products, cosmetics and healthcare will also include in the fair.

In the opening address, Ghent trade fair Chairman Ronald Everaert welcomed the Pakistani delegation and exhibitors. He spoke about the trade potential between the two nations and described at length the ancient history and cultural diversity of Pakistan.

He hoped that this trade fair would help develop important trade and cultural linkages between the people of the two countries. Pakistan’s Ambassador to Belgium Naghmana Hashmi was also present at the event and spoke about the efforts being made by the Pakistani government for national development and the road towards Pakistan Vision-2025.

Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Secretary Rabiya Javeri Agha talked about the potential of Pakistani products in international market. Cotton is one of their agricultural and export mainstays. Pakistan has the complete value chain of textile and cotton products. She said that Pakistan’s trade figures to Belgium itself showed a good increase of up to 11 percent this year, with home textiles reflecting a growth of 26 percent.

Pakistan pavilion at Ghent trade fair showcased different products of Pakistan from leather to textile to surgical and sports goods. Their presence generated a good response from the visitors present. People showed interest in different products, the embroidered handicrafts, the carved furniture and intricate jewellery on display. It also showcased the cultural side of the country and presented a display of cloth paintings by Masuma Halai.

Although the Ghent Fair is a consumer trade fair, during the seminar contact days, B2B relations are the centre of attention.

The nine-day international trade exhibition which began on September 12 is organised in the Flanders Expo Exhibition Venue, in the city of Ghent, Belgium, heart of Europe would run till September 20 .