President Office issues directions on APTMA proposals

16 Mar '11

3 min read

President office has expeditiously issued directions on APTMA proposals relating to increase in cotton production and availability of energy to the industry.

It may be noted that Chairman All Pakistan Textile Mills Association - APTMA Gohar Ejaz had represented textile vision to President Asif Ali Zardari on behalf of textile industry during APTMA's annual dinner in the presidency on 11th Feb 2011.

The textile vision included short and long term measures to overcome energy crisis, increase in raw materials production, globaly competitive interest rate regime for capitalization, market access and policy-implementation divide. According to the textile vision, the textile exports may touch the magical figure of $50 billion plus in five years instead of merely $25 billion dollar, as envisaged by the first-ever-five-year textile policy of the federal government.

APTMA spokesman said the President Office has directed to constitute two separate committees. The committee on cotton sector will devise a plan of action for improvement in all sectors and brief the President once a month.

Another committee on shortage of gas will submit proposals for resolution of short and long term issues relating to production, import, distribution and pricing of gas. This committee will submit its interim report within three weeks.

APTMA spokesman said these are follow up steps of APTMA annual dinner at the presidency where President Zardari had pledged to resolve industry issues on priority while declaring 2011 as the year of textile industry.

The spokesman said that Chairman APTMA Gohar Ejaz had pointed out that immediate steps are required to increase cotton production per hectare. He had mentioned that Pakistan is producing presently 570 kg per hectare against 1250 kg per hectare in China, the Spokesman added.

He said President has accordingly constituted a committee with agriculture researchers, industry stakeholders, and government representatives to meet on regular basis.

Also, he said, Chairman APTMA had stressed the need of importing LNG in bulk. The short and long term objectives of this committee are under preparation by the task force and would be soon made public, he added.

APTMA spokesman said Chairman APTMA had suggested President Zardari to keep it as a private sector-led project with facilitating role of the government.

He said President has honored the industry wish and kept it as a private sector-led project with putting on board representatives from industry, capital market, Wapda and Sui gas companies to resolve gas shortage issue to textile industry at the earliest.

The spokesman said these two notifications are in accordance with APTMA vision and way forward. He termed it as an achievement of APTMA by getting notified committees to meet larger objectives of the industry.

He said the notifications itself suggest the proactive approach of thegovernment towards textile industry & export development.

APTMA spokesman said Chairman APTMA Gohar Ejaz has appreciated expeditious response from President Asif Ali Zardari on resolving textile issues and expressed the hope that it would play vital role in achieving short and long term goals.

All Pakistan Textile Mills Association - APTMA

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