By Our Correspondent
LAHORE, December 20 — President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Faheem ur Rehman Saigol, said that Pakistan has strong export potential in non-traditional sectors, but due to lack of attention these sectors are not performing well. He was speaking during a meeting with a delegation of the Pakistan Coating Association at the Lahore Chamber.
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The delegation was led by Chairman Pakistan Coating Association, Iftikhar Bashir Chaudhry. Other members included Muazzam Rashid, Mian Ubaid, Salman Rafiq, Chaudhry Irfan and others. On this occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was also signed between the Lahore Chamber and the Pakistan Coating Association to promote mutual cooperation.
While addressing the meeting, LCCI President Faheem ur Rehman Saigol said that the coating industry is an important and practical sector that can play a significant role not only in supporting local industry but also in boosting exports. He said that under the MoU, both organizations will carry out joint activities throughout the year, including business development, policy support and trade promotion.
The LCCI President emphasized the need to further strengthen the relationship between the Chamber and the Association. He said that in the current economic situation, all sectors are facing challenges, and collective efforts are essential to overcome them. He added that the Chamber will continue to work with all stakeholders to protect the interests of the business community and further strengthen the institution’s positive image.
Speaking on the occasion, representatives of the Pakistan Coating Association said that chambers of commerce have always stood by the business community on every platform, and the Lahore Chamber’s role in resolving recent transport and port-related issues is highly commendable. He said that effective coordination between businesses and the government is the key to sustainable solutions. Under this approach, major chambers are being aligned so that the government can be approached with a unified position.
He said that the coating industry includes several sub-sectors such as paints, adhesives, powder coatings and construction chemicals, all of which have strong export potential. Africa, Central Asia and the Middle East are key export markets. However, challenges such as border closures and transport issues remain. He stressed the need for alternative trade routes and said Pakistan must further strengthen its trade diplomacy in the region.
The delegation demanded that the coating industry be formally recognized as a separate industrial sector so that it can receive proper representation in terms of taxation and incentives. They pointed out that calcium carbonate, a key raw material used in the industry, is locally available. By producing value-added products from this local raw material, exports can be significantly increased. They emphasized that industries based on local raw materials should be given priority at the government level.
The LCCI President assured the delegation that all proposals and recommendations related to the coating industry would be forwarded to the government in the form of a comprehensive proposal. He said that without value addition, effective trade diplomacy and solutions to logistics issues, meaningful growth in exports is not possible. At the end of the meeting, both organizations reaffirmed their commitment to work jointly for resolving business community issues and strengthening the national economy through mutual cooperation.
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