Minister seeks proposals to pull textile sector out of crisis

Says he will try to get remaining Rs120b of the textile package released

FAISALABAD: To pull the textile sector out of current crisis, short and long-term strategies will be evolved, therefore all stakeholders should submit their workable proposals within a week, said State Minister for Commerce and Textile Haji Mohammad Akram Ansari.

Speaking at a function at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), he said the textile sector was earlier facing issues like high mark-up, load-shedding and shortage of gas, but these issues were resolved.



Now, new problems had surfaced such as high cost of doing business and delay in payment of tax refund claims, he added.

The minister assured businessmen that he was aware of grievances of the industry and would try to resolve issues as soon as possible.

He requested FCCI President Mohammad Saeed Sheikh to form a committee of all stakeholders tasked with floating short and long-term proposals to pave the way for putting these before the prime minister for immediate redress.

Talking about the declining textile exports, he said, “We must switch to value addition by making conscious efforts to reduce the cost of production,” adding it was the responsibility of all stakeholders to achieve the objective.

Ansari was of the opinion that refund of sales tax, customs duty and income tax was the right of exporters and should be released at the earliest.

He said in his meeting with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on Tuesday he would try to address the issues pertaining to the Rs180-billion textile package and release of the remaining Rs120 billion for the period July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2018.



The issues faced by the textile exporters were linked with the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Board of Revenue, added the minister, giving assurances to them that his ministry would extend maximum facilitation to the sector. He also declared that he would take up the issue of difference in gas tariffs for Punjab and Sindh with the ministries concerned.

A nine-member committee will be constituted to finalise proposals within a week’s time.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 20^th, 2017.

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