It gives me great pleasure to participate in poultry congress organized by Pakistan Poultry Association. It is really heartening to know that development efforts made by the Pakistan Poultry Association and incentives provided by the Government have been successful in attracting investment in this sector.

2. Government of Pakistan is fully aware of the problems of poultry industry particularly huge losses due to recent Avian Influenza out break as well as due to irresponsible coverage by National Press.

The matter has also been discussed in Federal Poultry Board, and I assure you that Government of Pakistan will be try her best to revive Poultry Industry.

3. In the face of WTO challenges coming ahead there is a need to make poultry production sector relatively competitive and its operational policies, regulations and procedures more harmonized. Consequent upon enforcement of SPS measures agreement under WTO,

Pakistan being one of the signatory, would be bound to adopt sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards and trade related intellectual property rights.

The later calls for preparedness and harmonization of trade related policies and standardization of products so that we are able to compete in the international market and thus safeguard our products against influx / import of cheaper products into the country.

This scenario therefore, poses a great challenge for poultry entrepreneurs to adopt their industrial operations according to WTO standards.

There is need to motivate and create awareness among stake holders through conferences and seminars, so that stake holders are able to appreciate the challenges which they are likely to face by the year, 2005, when Pakistan will be exposed to global market and there would be free trade among developing and developed world.

I would, therefore, emphasize upon all the stake holders and Government functionaries to joint hands in meeting WTO challenges and opportunities, both for the very survival in the global competitive market and economic prosperity.

I am glade to learn that technical sessions were organized by PPA which would go a long way to educate and expose our farming community to the innovative technologies.

I appreciate such efforts and hope that stake holders, farmers and poultry entrepreneurs would be benefited by this Congress.

I wish all of you success and good lock.
Pakistan Paindabad