Karachi: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) celebrated Pakistan’s 80th Independence Day across the country, with the main ceremony held at the Karachi Expo Centre (KEC) on Friday. The occasion also marked the Silver Jubilee of the Expo Centre. The ceremony was attended by distinguished business leaders, TDAP officials, media representatives and other esteemed guests.
The ceremony commenced with the hoisting of the National Flag at the Karachi Expo Centre. Addressing the gathering, Secretary TDAP Sheryar Taj highlighted the TDAP’s expanding role in export promotion and trade facilitation.
He noted that under the TDAP Business Plan 2026-27, 483 trade development activities have been planned, including 129 international exhibitions, 93 seminars, 130 webinars, 54 trade delegations, 30 regional SME and women entrepreneurship fairs, and 20 high-profile business forums.
Secretary TDAP also highlighted TDAP’s major flagship events planned for FY 2026-27, including FoodAg 2026 in Karachi, the Made in Pakistan Exhibition in Bangladesh, TEXPO 2027 in Karachi, WEXNET 2027 in Lahore, and the Healthcare, Engineering and Mineral Show (HEMS) in Lahore. These initiatives are aimed at enhancing Pakistan’s export visibility, strengthening international business linkages and creating new opportunities for Pakistani exporters.
The ceremony also featured addresses by Zubair Motiwala, Chairman, Businessmen Group (BMG), and former Chief Executive, TDAP, Junaid Naqi, former President, KATI, Waseem Vohra, former Senior Vice President, FPCCI, and Kamal Shehryar, Consultant, TDAP. The speakers highlighted Pakistan’s economic and trade potential and appreciated TDAP’s efforts to promote exports and facilitate the business community.
A key feature of the ceremony was the launch of the Preferential Trade Access Database (PTAD), a digital platform providing information on preferential market access available under Pakistan’s 29 trade arrangements. PTAD has been developed as a unified digital gateway for trade access information and market intelligence, enabling Pakistani exporters to identify and access international market opportunities.
The ceremony also showcased ongoing development and modernization projects at the Karachi Expo Centre. Several projects have been successfully completed, while others are underway. Major works include the waterproofing of Expo Centre halls, replacement of corrugated sheets, installation of a solar power system and a new firefighting system in accordance with international standards.
Members of the business community appreciated TDAP’s initiatives to modernize the Karachi Expo Centre and promote Pakistan’s trade and exports. They also commended the TDAP’s efforts to stimulate business activity and support the country’s economic development.
The ceremony concluded with cake-cutting and group photographs to commemorate Pakistan’s 79th Independence Day and the Silver Jubilee of the Karachi Expo Centre.
