Pak industry opposes merger of textile & commerce ministry

07 Apr '15

2 min read

In a letter to the Prime Minister, value-added textile producers in Pakistan have opposed the move to merge the textile ministry with the commerce ministry.

Recently the finance minister, Muhammad Ishaq Dar had mooted a proposal to club the merge the textiles ministry with the commerce ministry, the letter informs.

The value-added textile sector associations have expressed surprise at such a recommendation which it said has been made without consulting them and other stakeholders in the industry.

The letter adds that the textiles ministry was earlier set up due to their demands, since the textile sector makes up for 54.63 per cent of overall exports and generates 42 per cent of total employment.

“India has a full-fledged textiles ministry, despite the fact that Indian textile exports account for only 11.9 per cent of its exports,” the letter noted.

According to the letter, Pakistan is the fourth largest cotton global producer and also one of the biggest exporters of cotton.

“Our cotton crop is 14 million bales and if we even convert 50 per cent of this, we can fetch $42 billion in exports and create more jobs, instead of exporting raw cotton,” it observed.

“Rather, the textiles ministry should be given more powers to take vital decisions, since in its absence, it is not able to take vital decisions regarding implementation of the Textile Policy,” the letter concludes by saying. (AR)

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