The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (ATPMA) group leaders want the Pakistani government to take over the country’s textile industry, the Pakistani media has reported.
APTMA chairman SM Tanveer and a group leader Gohar Ejaz have said, "The textile industry has become unviable because of the heavily subsidised textile industries in the competing countries of the region."The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (ATPMA) group leaders want the Pakistani government to take over the country's textile industry, the #
In a separate development, the Pakistan readymade garments manufacturers and exporters association (PRGMEA) has called for giving special status to export-oriented value-added textile industry allowing it zero rating facility to boost new investment and revive economic growth.
PRGEMA central chairman Ijaz Khokhar said in Lahore that value-added textile sector should be given special status by separating it from other textile chains as it was generating more employment and revenue.
The APTMA also briefed journalists in Lahore on the plight of the textile industry after comparing it with the Indian textile industry on the basis of a study conducted by the Gherzi International, a Switzerland-based textile industry consultancy.
Tanveer said that the duration of gas load shedding for Punjab’s textile industry has been increased by two hours and now the industry gets gas for only 6 hours. He said that the shortage of gas in summer is beyond understanding and if the gas shortage continues, the export target could not be achieved.
"The government is not responding to the problems of the textile industry despite repeated calls," Ejaz lamented, and demanded that the association chairman be swiftly appointed as textile industry minister.
"The premier should constitute a task force on the textile industry with the industry leadership on board and address the industry's issues on the war-footing. The government in Korea has built up its textile industry by doing the same," Ejaz added.
The APTMA leadership said declining exports, shrinking domestic market and capacity closures were a source of concern for the industry. "This situation has arisen out of high cost, energy shortages, old technology, absence of zero rating, shortage of raw materials, marketing disadvantages, absence of institutional support and policy-implementation divide."
Tanveer said Pakistan's textile industry had registered a decline of 16 per cent in exports in March and warned that exports could worsen. "Already Pakistan's growth has been stagnant to 22 per cent against 160 per cent of Bangladesh during 2008-2013," he said. (SH)
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