Textile Secretary assures exporters of resolution of grievances

KARACHI: Federal Secretary for Textile Hassan Iqbal on Thursday assured the representatives of value added textile sector of resolving their grievances relating to his ministry and also to campaign for them to get relief from other concerned government departments as well.

The government had released Rupees four billion on July 26, for payment of refund claims by exporters and industrialists, and the amount would be paid soon, he said.

The Secretary was speaking at a meeting with representatives of various value-added textile associations led by Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, Chief Coordinator of Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) and Chairman Pakistan Apparel Forum, here at PHMA House.

Other leading textile exporters included Rafiq Godel, Khwaja M. Usman, Saleem Parekh and Riaz Ahmed.

Muhammad Jawed Bilwani and Chairman, PHMA South Zone, Riaz Ahmed briefed the Secretary Textile on the issues facing the value-added textile sector and the textile industry in general. These mostly related to Federal Board of Revenue and high cost of inputs ; making them uncompetitive in the international market which had caused decline in the country's exports.

They gave presentations comparing the cost of inputs and growth of textile industry and the exports against Pakistan's regional competitors including China, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

The business leaders said that Pakistani businessmen had made investments in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and other countries finding more incentives there.

They urged the government that utilities tariff be separated for export oriented industries on the pattern of fertilizer and agriculture sectors. This would increase the rate of conversion of cotton or value-addition boosting the textile exports of the country.

They also demanded the payment of all the refund claims of the business community especially the exporters so that they could continue their business operations and the exports of the country might not be affected further.

They also demanded the release of the remaining amounts linked to first textile policy and the second textile policy, and under the Prime Minister's Exporters Package.

Federal Secretary for Textile Hassan Iqbal said that the government intended to pay off the refunds at the earliest possible.

The government and the textile ministry were trying their best to strengthen textile sector, which had big share in the country's economy.

FBR had assured that Rupees twenty billion would be paid as refunds before August 14, 2017, he added.

He informed that during June 2017, textile exports had gone up by 16 percent and hoped that textile exports would be increased as there was twenty percent increase in cotton crop in Punjab and more crop in other areas of the country.