By Commerce Reporter
LAHORE – A delegation of the Furniture Association, led by Mian Afzaal, called on President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry Mian Abuzar Shad and Vice President Shahid Nazir Chaudhry to highlight the growing concerns of the furniture industry in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab, caused by the unchecked proliferation of unregulated furniture exhibitions.
Sohail Mahmood Butt, Khalil Abeer and others also spoke on the occasion.
During the meeting, the delegation expressed deep concerns over the ongoing damage caused to legitimate furniture manufacturers, traders and thousands of skilled workers due to these unsupervised expos.
Mian Afzaal said that what were originally intended to be promotional showcases have now transformed into full-fledged retail sales outlets, operating without oversight, tax compliance, or adherence to quality standards. He explained that many of these expo participants are non-tax filers, operate without proper showrooms or production facilities andoften fail to provide after-sales service, which raises serious concerns about their credibility. “These expos are being misused to exploit tax loopholes while legitimate businesses suffer,” he said.
The delegation also presented data showing that many exhibitions promote “50–70% discount” campaigns, clearly reflecting their retail nature. They said that unlike global practices, where exhibitions are organized once or twice a year under government supervision to promote local industry, Pakistan is witnessing arbitrary and frequent expos in various cities, hurting the existing regulated market.
The Furniture Association urged the LCCI leadership to play an active role in addressing this alarming situation. Their proposals included regulating furniture exhibitions and ensuring compliance with tax and quality standards, restricting participation to registered businesses with operational facilities and verified NTNs, ensuring protection of consumer rights including mechanisms for after-sales service and coordinating with authorities to enforce fair trade and restore balance in the furniture market.
LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad appreciated the delegation for bringing the matter to light and assured full support from the LCCI. He agreed that unregulated trade practices not only hurt compliant businesses but also weaken national economic stability. He said that LCCI stands committed to the protection of genuine business stakeholders and would raise the matter with the concerned authorities at the highest level. Vice President Shahid Nazir Chaudhry also expressed solidarity with the industry and stressed the importance of equal opportunity and market fairness for sustainable economic growth. The delegation thanked the LCCI leadership for their time and positive response, expressing hope that with the Chamber’s backing, practical steps would soon be taken to protect the furniture industry from further decline.
