Textile sector: PAF calls for duty refund

Pakistan Apparel Forum has urged the government to extend maximum support and facilitation to value-added textiles

KARACHI: Pakistan Apparel Forum Chairman Muhammad Jawed Bilwani has urged the government to extend maximum support and facilitation to value-added textiles, including the earliest possible clearance for duty drawback claims of textile exporters, said Bilwani on Tuesday. From the Rs28.72 billion of drawback from local taxes and levies submitted by the exporters to the State Bank of Pakistan, only Rs 5.3 billion has been disbursed so far, he said. This has caused great difficulties to the value-added textile exporters, said a release from Pakistan Apparel Forum. He said at present the value-added textile sector struggling to survive. “The major problems facing it are the increasing overheads, shortage of power and gas, and poor infrastructure,” Bilwani said.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2011.