The value-added textile sector has demanded an immediate ban on cotton yarn export and total elimination of the regulatory duty on import of raw material. Addressing a press conference, Mian Kashif Zia, zonal chairman of Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA), said that value-added textile sector was playing a key role in creating job opportunities and therefore the government must resolve its issues on priority basis. Atif Munir Sheikh, president Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), said that despite 80pc extra production of cotton, we were facing a cotton shortage of 35-45pc and to fulfill this gap, we would have to import cotton. He demanded that the government must clamp a ban on export of cotton yarn and lower the regulatory duty on its import to zero. He said that we would have to depend on 70pc imports for our exports as we are playing at 30-70pc. He said the sector was indebted to the government that had cleared Rs275 billion refunds of the last 11 years. However, it was a demand of the sector that the government should ensure availability of raw material at reasonable rates. Shahzad Azam Khan, central chairman PHMA, said the real economic strength of Pakistan was its well-developed textile sector and the government must ban yarn export to provide cotton yarn to the domestic textile sector. Waheed Khaliq Ramey, Chairman Power Looms Owners Association, Arif Ihsan Malik Central Chairman All Pakistan Bedsheets and Upholstery Manufactures Association (APBUMA), Chaudhry Muhammad Nawaz of All Pakistan Cotton Power Loom Association, Shakeel Ansari of Sizing Association, Shafiq Rafi of All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association and Syed Zia Alumdar Hussain also spoke on the occasion.