Textile sector revival: PTEA criticises elements ruining govt efforts

Officials say such representatives are pursuing their own vested interests

FAISALABAD: Unproductive and baseless proposals by non-stakeholders are ruining government efforts to revive the ailing textile industry, said the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA), who strongly condemned the fictitious representation of the textile industry.

Referring to the All Pakistan Textile Association Council Chairman Zubair Motiwala, PTEA Chairman Ajmal Farooq and Vice Chairman Muhammad Naeem criticised the chairman’s unfounded statement and termed it “highly unfortunate that some outsiders without any link with the textile industry are misleading the government with their baseless suggestions and sabotaging the efforts for revival of textile sector.



These elements are against the revival of the country’s major export industry and are playing for their own vested interests, they added.

The government is moving in the right direction to uplift exports and consideration of custom rebate and cash subsidies, which will not only help restore the competitiveness of the textile industry in international market but would also revive the substantial capacity to produce exportable surplus.

Textile exporters recognised the generous efforts of Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan for sustainable growth in textile exports but vested elements are shattering the efforts, said PTEA officials.

They urged the government to immediately announce cash incentives for the ailing sector to steam up the export growth and retain its share in global trade.

Farooq was of the view that competing countries like Bangladesh, India, China and Vietnam are rapidly multiplying their exports just because of the edge they have on the cost of doing business and incentives offered by their governments.

“High cost of production and lack of competitiveness are major hurdles in export growth and pragmatic incentive schemes need to be announced to reduce the cost of production, to create a level playing field,” he suggested.

The business representatives should place their own interests aside and identify the factors, which are hindering business ventures and should propose measures for raising investment, he added.

PTEA disclaimed Motiwala’s groundless proposal against cash incentives for textile industry and demanded the government to immediately announce incentive package as promised by the prime minister to boost the textile export industry.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 6^th, 2017.

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