Pakistan to Tap Middle East Garment Market 
By Nida Butt 'Pakistan Times' Special Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Dubai Motexha 2007, the largest annual garments, textiles, leather and fashion accessories event in the Middle East, to be held at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre (DIEC) from March 19 to 21, 2007, has attracted the largest-ever participants from Pakistan.

The country will see a 200 per cent increase in exhibition space.

The international fashion designer, Nadya Mistry, is leading a growing number of women entrepreneurs from Pakistan at this year’s show, encouraged by recent Pakistani government incentives, private TV reported.

Bilal Khan Pasha, Commercial Attache, Consulate General of Pakistan, Dubai, said “Women now make-up 51 per cent of Pakistan’s population and as such cannot be left out of the economy.

The number of women in the workforce is growing and the government is making every effort to bring them into the mainstream of business, trade and commerce.

To help achieve this, the government offers financial subsidies for women who wish to participate in overseas trade fairs to encourage their participation. Motexha has certainly attracted some of our most successful businesswomen,” said Pasha.

On show at Motexha will be top international fashion designer Nadya Mistry. The Parisian-qualified icon out of the Nino Cerruti 1881 and Mary McFadden stables will no doubt be eager to appeal to the burgeoning communities of affluent expatriates from the Sub Continent, further enhancing exports of in-vogue silk, synthetics, knitwear and readymade garments.

In all over 220 exhibitors from over 25 countries are expected to participate, a 35 per cent increase over 2006 and ladies’ wear and fashion accessories will continue to dominate the overall industry mix at Motexha 2007.

The show will also feature a dedicated arena for international brands and franchise labels, showcasing mid to high-end brands and new designers.

Motexha 2007 is supported by TEXMAS, the 300 member strong textile merchants group and promoters of the Dh 220 million Dubai Textile City, as well as Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The show is also endorsed by key international governmental and private sector organisations including National Agency for Export Development (NAFED) of Indonesia, China Chamber of Commerce for Import and Export of Machinery (CCCT) and Thailand’s Department of Export Promotion (DEP).●