Daily Times

A legislative body of Pakistan’s Upper House, on Thursday, expressed serious reservations over failure to increase the exports of the textile sector in the last several years while regretting that the government had only exported textiles worth $13.57 billion as compared to its target of $26 billion during 2019-20.

Pakistan was said to be far behind the exports of the textile sector from Bangladesh and Vietnam during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Commerce and Textile Industry, held in the parliament house. The senators were greatly shocked to hear that Bangladesh did not even possess the capacity to produce textiles and had to import the raw materials for this sector.

Chaired by Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi, the committee was given a detailed and comprehensive briefing on the review of the Textile Policy 2014-2019 and 2019-2024.

The committee members sought details as to why the textile sector exports had not increased as the years went by. They were told that the low exports were due to a number of reasons, including energy outages, low seed quality, decreased demand for raw cotton and increased subsidies.

It was said that many measures being introduced in the new textile policy would address most of the grievances of the textile sector while focusing on the up-gradation of its infrastructure as well as manpower.

Senators strongly recommended the inclusion representatives of at least two Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) on the special task force constituted to improve the textile sector. They also reiterated the need to bring back the Cotton Research Committee under the control of the Textile Industry Division.

Speaking on the occasion, Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile, Industry, Production and Investment, Abdul Razak Dawood, said that the economy was in a bad shape due to lack of planning and ill-conceived policies of the past government, therefore, subsidies no longer remained an option. However, he added, the government was trying to put the economy on the right track through prudent policies and difficult decisions.

Dawood believed Pakistani exporters must enhance their efficiency and productivity to compete in the international market instead of depending on subsidies and other artificial supports. The government was said to have had finalized policy interventions for up-gradation and value addition in the textile sector with enhanced market access.

Published in Daily Times, March 22^nd 2019.