KARACHI – FPCCI’s presidential candidate and UBG leader Engr. Daroo Khan Achakzai on Saturday said the ailing sector of handicrafts deserves the support of the government.
Locally made handicrafts are in great demand in the international market which can help improve the lives of many rural people, he said.
Handicrafts is the only sector that is directly linked with the skilled women, therefore, its promotion will result in poverty reduction and women empowerment, he added.
Daroo Khan Achakzai said that handicraft was once a major source of livelihood for millions of people but the rising cost of inputs, difficult access to credit and poor marketing network, have brought the industry to knees.
Low prices, lack of proper marketing, want of exhibition centers, discouraging behavior of the bureaucracy, and the rising costs of business were some reasons behind the decline, he added.
The business leader said that that millions of people are working in this sector but it is not organized while it continues to suffer due to the negligence of the authorities.
Besides the abusive techniques by the “middlemen” are also discouraging the artisans, he said, adding that promotion of handicraft sector will not only improve the standard of living of millions but also reduce the pace of migration.
This sector can get a boost if the Chinese are invited to join hands with locals to capture a large share in the international market, he said.
