ISLAMABAD - Federal Minister for Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan has constituted a committee headed by the Secretary Commerce, Muhammad Shahzad Arbab to bring about a policy action plan to redress the impediments confronted by the textile industry in increasing its exports.
The committee, comprising representatives of Ministry of Textile Industry, All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), will present its recommendations to the Minister next month. The recommendations will be forwarded to the Prime Minister for swift decisions in order to reverse the declining trend in Pakistani exports.
This was decided during a meeting chaired by the Minister for Commerce with the representatives of APTMA, which was also attended, by CEO Trade Development Authority of Pakistan SM Muneer and President FPCCI Mian Muhammad Idrees.
APTMA apprised the Minister about the multifarious issues faced by the domestic textile industry that have rendered the industry uncompetitive viz-a-viz the regional competitors. APTMA proposed to bring about a level playing field for Pakistani textile producer as the regional competitors are heavily subsidising and supporting their textile industry.
The Minister directed the Committee to hold negotiations with all the fourteen associations of textile sector and bring about viable proposals keeping view the constraints faced by the Government. The Minister directed that issue of electricity provision, electricity tariffs, small taxes on textile value chain, rising cost of production of Pakistani textile products as compared to the regional competitors, lack of new investments in the textile sector, export incentives for the textile industry, availability of finances for the sector and the declining share of Pakistani textiles in the world exports may be thoroughly deliberated in the committee.
Representatives of APTMA demanded that the industry is in dire need of Government support as the international competitors in textile sector are eroding Pakistan’s preferences. The Government should also take stern and swift steps in case where dumping and smuggling of goods is reported, they said.