Pak Prez seeks 2011 to be declared as 'Textile Year'

15 Feb '11

3 min read

Looking forward to considerably boost the cotton production of the country, to develop new varieties of cotton with higher yielding capacity and to draw significant investments for upgrading the country's textile sector, President Asif Ali Zardari has recently urged to announce 2011 as the “Textile Year”.

He appealed that, the state-owned land, in the nearby locations of the new dams that are constructed in the Sindh and Balochistan regions, should be freely distributed to the needy females of the area for undertaking cotton cultivation, during the “Textile Year”.

Zardari said this, while speaking at the recently held Annual Dinner of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, where besides the APTMA Chairman, Members of Parliament, Ministers, APTMA representatives and other business delegates, too, were present.

He underlined the significance of the textile industry in the country's economic growth and added that as the government has established garment cities in Lahore, Faisalabad and Karachi, this well signifies the importance that has been attached to the textile sector.

He stated that, he was optimistic that these projects would earn the country a place amongst the leading countries engaged in manufacturing and exports of value added textile items and would also help in upgrading Pakistan's contribution to the global textile trade.

Further, the President said that, while comprehending the significance of the textile sector in the nation's economic development, the government has declared the first textile policy to aid the sector's overall growth.

Meanwhile, the government while realizing that the country's textile sector is presently passing through its revival phase has even limited the exports of low cost yarn from the country, so as to boost the sector.

The President stated that, this move of the government was aimed at ensuring availability of raw materials for the local value added textile sector. He is optimistic that the move would help the sector to boost the exports of the value added textiles.

He then pressed on the need that, the steps initiated by the government for revival of the textile sector, especially the move of setting up the garment/textile cities should serve as a foundation for persistent development and financial stability of the Pakistan's economy.

Lastly, the President has shown his faith that the textile sector would take full advantage of the free market mechanism and employ the best of its efforts to boost its performance and investment. Also he said that, APTMA's consultation would be sought on all financial and investment matters, and cited market access to be one such field where public-private synchronization is required.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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