The Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts & Accessories Manufacturers (PAAPAM), opposing TDAP’s restrictions on local exporters who applied for exhibiting at a US Auto Fair, has sought the Authority’s support for participation of local auto engineering companies in the show.
PAAPAM Chairman Munir Bana and Vice Chairman Usman Malik expressed disappointment over lack of support from the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, which instead of facilitating and increasing the number of exhibitors in AAPEX, a fair in the United States, is only considering companies that have a valid visa for the United States.
He said, “We have potential large exporters that wish to participate in the fair but don’t have the requisite visa to attend. And instead of assisting exporters in obtaining visa, the Authority has imposed restrictions on several participants as per past practice; visas are issued after recommendation letters from TDAP. With more than 7 months to go before the show starts, TDAP demand for valid visa from exhibitors is ridiculous. We have written several letters, requesting local office as well as TDAP Karachi headquarters and CEO himself to address our concerns but they did not bother to respond to our request.”
The leaders of auto engineering sector lamented the bureaucratic approach of TDAP creating lack of mutual cooperation between the exporters and concerned governments agencies. Bana said that this practice will badly hurt the exports of Auto Engineering sector which otherwise has a strong potential.
“TDAP has been hosting a Pakistan Pavilion at this show since 2004. The US is a huge market and this particular show is the largest show in the auto OE and after-market sectors. This recent change in policy is a surprise and shock for regular attendees of this particular show,” he said.
Munir Bana said that TDAP was assigned to work with exporters in close liaison for promoting trade and maximizing exports from Pakistan. He said that TDAP was also tasked to help facilitate exporters’ capabilities and capacities. However, all these goals were just on paper while the ground situation is that TDAP had failed to provide any worthwhile support to exporters for improving exports, he added.
Vice Chairman Usman Malik said that PAAPAM members participating in AAPEX are falling under the clause “h” of the participation policies. “We would like these members to be exempted from the policy and allowed to participate under full subsidy offered by the authority. The cost of participation has also reached an unsustainable level. TDAP has reduced the subsidy from 80:20 to 60:40 and the subsidy allowed on freight of samples has also been withdrawn.
