Trade is the exchange of goods and services between two countries. For marketers timing is the utmost important in anything when buying or selling. European Parliament has given us the duty free access to their markets. Indeed it’s a good news that Pakistan has got the status of GSP plus. Hurrah!!!! to export our products without any duty to 28 countries of the world. I am not pessimistic about the future of Pakistan however I have some concerns. As In Europe there is a tradition of positioning of the products as a brand. Europeans are brand conscious and have a good eye on country of origin. Do you think will they buy anything from the country where Malala’s are not allowed to go in a school? Pakistani textiles or apparels with label of “made in Pakistan” who will buy? .As they use the slogan “You are what you wear“. Would they like to be known as terrorists?
As you are aware from these facts in this war of terror we have lost animatedly over 40,000 people, our economy has suffered the loss of $80 billion and still hampering. According to Mr Ishaq Dar we will get $ 2 billion dollar with the help of this status. Now the question is in this competitive word when the countries like United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, Canada, China, India and EU all are adopting strategies of protectionism as it can be seen in graph below. Why European Union have become so kind with us suddenly.
Nothing comes free in this world; you have to pay the cost. As you are aware next year NATO troops (European countries which have given us this status to export our products) are going to withdrawal there troops from Afghanistan. It would not be possible unless Pakistan helps them to provide a safe exist. Our economic position is so bleak and tumbling nobody intends to invest here. Pound is on 175, dollar is on 108, Euro is on 147 what extraordinary has been done by our government so far? EU wants to send their troops and stuff back from Afghanistan without paying any duty. They have again used us by giving this peanut as before. I will describe it as a pay as you go situation. we’ve been bullied again internationally.
Good news however, disparity among rich and poor further deepen .Check textile sector of stock market all are in green color. Stock mafia is in action. You all are aware who is going to get most benefit of this. Second thing is we have to answer the following questions. Are we able to compete with China, Bangladesh and India? Can we export quality products? Are we able to send our orders in time? Let’s have a second look of our delightness by analyzing international market where we are branded as a terrorist nation. Who is going to buy our products? Yes only overseas Pakistanis for them our supreme court has already declared they are not patriotic. How we can compete with Bangladesh where already our entrepreneurs have migrated their businesses to get benefit of cheap labor and availability of electricity. There are always trade ethics in international market, first is honesty and credibility which unfortunately gone from us. We have forgotten the conduct of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) how honestly he had traded Umm-ul-Momineen Hazrat Khadija goods from one place to another .UK Attorney general Dominic Grieve attributed Pakistanis as the most corrupt community as compared to other communities in his latest statement. Second rule of trade is quality. We are well known in the world to send first two three deliveries with excellent quality later we can’t maintain this consistency. Again we feel ashamed when we say we are Muslims. Prophet Muhammad PBUH title is Sadiq and Amin and what is our title? .
Third rule is in time delivery. Only industrialists can afford electricity so they will use it and bills will be paid by public.
I will be much happier of this status when i will see ordinary entrepreneurs and Pakistanis have been enabled to export their products without any obstruction and somehow they become prosperous.
If our leaders are truly sincere they first have to be sincere with their nation. They must have to take steps in right direction .European markets where Pakistanis mangoes are sold as Indian Mangoes, where Pakistani Basmati is sold under Indian brand names. Where Pakistani apparels are sold as “made in Bangladesh” Are we going to sell in same way? What we were and what we are now?. Allama Iqbal said when i see the books of my forefathers in Europe it hurts me. For me when i see this respect of Pakistanis and their brands in Europe it hurts me.
