The first-ever Lahore Shopping Festival 2012 was heralded with a dazzling opening ceremony here at Lahore Polo Club in the presence of hundreds of participants who had flocked here to be part of this historic event.
The festivities of the Lahore Shopping Festival were jointly declared open by the Chief Guest Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Mohammad Iqbal and the LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh. The LCCI Senior Vice President Kashif Younis Meher, Vice President Saeeda Nazar, former LCCI presidents Shahzad Ali Malik, Mohammad Ali Mian, former Senior Vice President Sh. Mohammad Arshad, US Consul General Nina Maria Fite, wife of the Indonesian Ambassador Butar Latuconsina Kusdiana, city elite, top bureaucrats and a large number of women attended the opening Ceremony of Lahore Shopping Festival. A stunning polo match was also part of the Lahore Shopping Festival Opening ceremony.
Hundreds of pigeons and balloons were also released in the air the mark the opening of the Lahore Shopping Festival that would continue till April 29.
The Lahore Shopping Festival was a joint initiative of the Punjab Government and Lahore chamber of Commerce and Industry. This mega event was a combination of events including a three day expo at Lahore Expo centre, Polo tournament, Qirat competition, a young entrepreneur business plan competition, photography competition, vintage car rally, Punjabi Cultural night, Job fair, business walk, Lahore wrestling championship, motor bike rally, fashion show, energy conference and a soft ball cricket tournament while at the first phase, a polo match played at Lahore Polo Club on Sunday between the teams of Changoz and Loto Carpets while a Qira’at Competition among finalists of the qualifying round is being held today (Monday).
Speaking at the opening of the Lahore Shopping Festival, Iqbal said the CM’s vision to turn the province into a hub of economic activities would bear fruit soon. He said all energies are being spent for the welfare of the masses facing deep troubles due to fast escalating prices of daily use items. He reassured the LCCI office-bearers of Punjab government’s full support for the success of the Lahore Shopping Festival. He said the CM was having meetings with potential foreign investors to attract investment in the province of Punjab. In their address, the LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh said the Lahore Shopping Festival had been designed to promote economic activities in the Province of Punjab. He said that at the three-day first Punjab Expo as many as 250 renowned business groups are showcasing their products. On the sidelines of the exhibition an energy conference would also be held where leading economic experts would be presenting the solution to the ongoing energy crisis. A methodology to overcome the energy challenges being faced by the country would be given to the government. The 3-day Expo Lahore at Expo Center would be “Made in Punjab” in true sense of the word. Two mega events including a photography competition at Lahore Heritage Museum and Softball Cricket
Tournament at Bagh-e-Jinnah will be inaugurated today (Monday). Meanwhile, the polo match was won by the Changoz who scored 6 goals against one goal scored by the Loto Carpets.