ISLAMABAD - Pakistan is unlikely to achieve the export target of US $ 11 billion set for the textile sector in the current fiscal year, as its share in the total exports of goods is further shrinking, mainly due to energy crisis, tough competition in international markets and poor policy planning, a senior trade official said. The government average export target from the textile products for the current financial year has been estimated at US $ 11 billion or to an average US $ 923 million per month but in the first five months (July-November) the authorities has received only $ 4.337 billion against targeted of $4.615 billion, showing a deficit of 27.8 $ million. Exports of textile products were 60 per cent of total volume a few years ago and now it has shrunk mainly due to power and gas shortage in the country from the last year. Due to prevailing problems not only the growth has been affected but also the quality of textile products is declining, the official further said. According to the official figures, the trade imbalances in the first six months (July-December) has swelled over $ 9.55 billion mainly due to constant decline in the export side and the so far trade trend suggests a lower level of exports and higher trade deficit during the current financial year. The export declined in the first half of the year because the textile sector, the largest contributor to the country's foreign exchange earning showing a negative growth during the on going year. The decline in export of textile is concern for the trade authorities as the gap between exports and imports is widening and expected to reach at around $ 19 billion at the end of this financial year against the government target of around US $ 14 billion. In the trade policy, exports were predicated at around US $ 22.1 billion though the level of imports were not specified and were expected at over $ 36b. Although the duration of loadshedding is being reduced at present but with the arrival of summer season it would be again enhanced to further hamper the exports. Talking to TheNation a senior member of All Pakistan Textile Mill Association (APTMA) said that we are still facing long hours loadshedding and at the end of this fiscal year the required target from textile sector would not achieved. He was of the view that this sector is the mainstay of our exports, largest engine of employment generation, largest foreign exchange earner and government should provide maximum incentives to it to play more effective role in strengthening the economy, instead of making conditions more difficult for it by raising tariffs.