Overview
- TDAP chief Faiz Ahmed Chadhar inaugurated the 42nd International Exhibition of Handmade Carpets in Lahore on Tuesday and promised full government support including steps to resolve visa hurdles for foreign buyers.
- Organised by the Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association, the three-day fair has attracted buyers from the United States, Germany, Turkiye, China, Russia and Sweden who inspected high-quality displays across hotel exhibition stalls.
- Exporters said converting buyer interest into orders will require better marketing, updated product designs and smoother travel arrangements for buyers, and they are hopeful of large-scale deals being signed during the event.
- Trade data frame the urgency: UN Comtrade put carpet and floor-covering exports at about $57 million in 2024 while Pakistan Bureau of Statistics reports carpet and rug exports fell by more than 20% in 2025-26.
- The sector is labour intensive and concentrated in rural Punjab where weaving sustains many households; organisers highlighted value-retention in local supply chains and even showcased prison-made carpets as part of training and rehabilitation efforts, but outcomes depend on policy follow-through.