Pakistan:Secretary Commerce meets textile leaders

KARACHI: Secretary Commerce Zafar Mahmood held a meeting with the prominent exporters of the textile sector to discuss an action plan for enhancing exports of the value added textile sector.

Chief Executive Trade Development Authority of Pakistan Tariq Iqbal Puri was also present on the occasion. Value chain in textile sector was represented by Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig of Pak Denim, Shahid Soorti, Chairman PDMEA, Sohail Tabba of Lucky Textile/Chairman Market access Committee of APTMA, Javed Chinoi, Chairman PRGMEA (South Zone), Shabir Ahmed of Bed wear Association, Rafiq Godil of PAKSEA, Khwaja Mohammad Usman Chairman PCFA, Nadeem Maqbool Vice Chairman APTMA, Javed Bilwani PHMA, Shahid Ameen of Polyester Staple Fiber, Anis Naviwala Cambridge Garments, Usman Khan of King's Group, Yusuf Nazar of Nova International & Shabir of Bonanza.

Most of the industrialists agreed that the value addition in Pakistan was much below the desired level and the reasons quoted for this were inefficiency of the workers if compared with the region, high energy cost, load shedding, law and order situation, infrastructure and logistic shortcomings.

Another issue pointed out was lack of training. Agreeing to the findings, the Secretary Commerce instructed to constitute a committee under the chairmanship of Chief Executive, TDAP to take the initiative for establishing training institutes with coordination of STEVTA and the fund sourcing of NEVTA.

The committee mandate would also include finalizing the training curriculum, acquiring of trainers and affiliation with any international institute.

Secretary Commerce also suggested that this committee may visit Bangladesh to study the ongoing operations of workers training institutes.

Responding to the concerns on law and order, Zafar Mahmood decided to convene another meeting of relevant authorities in Sindh province particularly in Karachi who are responsible for maintaining law and order including political element in order to take some steps toward industrial peace for future continuity of industrial activities.

As regards, Japanese market The CE, TDAP emphasized upon taking business delegation to Japan where market is open for hi-tech value added imports.

Tariq Iqbal Puri made a brief review of the production capacities in Pakistan of grey fabric and denim and the competition being faced for exporting the products.

Brecoder.com