Patna, May 15: Business between Bihar and Pakistan looks promising with the state set to host its first Indo-Pakistani Ethno Fusion Trade Fair and Food Festival from June 7 to 10 at the Indira Gandhi Planetarium.
The PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in association with the state government, will welcome a delegation of 80 Pakistan-based industrialists and a delegation of cooks to Bihar next month. Chief minister Nitish Kumar will inaugurate the event.
Supported by the state industries department, the department of art, culture and youth affairs, and the science and technology department, Bihar will be hosting the event for the first time.
"It will be a great opportunity for small scale industrialists of Pakistan and Bihar to interact and share their art and culture. The same event was hosted at Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh in April and it was a grand success," Satyajeet Kumar Singh, the chairman of the state wing of PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told The Telegraph.
He said the event would be organised to promote art and culture of both the nations, thereby strengthening bilateral trade ties between them.
The wide platform provided by the exhibition will enable visitors to explore a wide range of products. In addition to business ties, mouth-smacking cuisines from different provinces of Pakistan will also be on the menu.
"The food festival would be an added attraction. With Awadhi cuisines, distinguished chefs from different parts of Pakistan -Lahore, Multan, Islamabad and Peshawar- will dish out authentic fares. People can expect succulent seekh kebabs, biryani, haleem, chargha, Peshawari tikka, Kabuli pulao, and lots more to taste. Bihari dishes such as litti-chokha will be our treat. Business and food is always a worthwhile combination," added Singh.
The delegation from Pakistan will comprise people from the small and medium enterprises, in Multan, Peshawar, Lahore and Islamabad.
"The event looks promising. The state government has been promoting the art and craft sector. One can hope for good business . The chief minister had visited Pakistan in 2012 and thus the ties between Bihar and Pakistan will develop," an official at the industries department told The Telegraph.
