LAHORE: The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and the Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of Pakistan have discussed ways to boost textile exports through soft financing for new projects and for the Balancing, Modernisation and Replacement (BMR) of existing plants.
The discussion took place during a visit to APTMA by EXIM Bank President and CEO Shahbaz H Syed, who was accompanied by Regional Business Manager Faiz H Salim. APTMA was represented by Chairman Asad Shafi, Outgoing Chairman Kamran Arshad, former Chairman Rahim Nasir, Sapphire CEO Shahid Abdullah, Anjum Zafar, Haroon Elahi, Ismail Fayyaz, Ismail Fareed; Mohammad Ali; and Secretary General Raza Baqir. Senior members from across the value-added textile chain also attended.
Syed briefed the members on the bank’s current facilities, export support initiatives and future plans. He said EXIM Bank would continue to engage with APTMA and the textile sector to improve awareness, access and use of its financing facilities. He expressed hope that the concessionary interest rates offered by the bank would ease the financial constraints faced by exporters, and that soft loan terms would encourage investment in new projects and in the BMR of existing plants and machinery.
He urged APTMA members to take advantage of the discounted rates. He also assured them that all loan applications from the textile sector would be processed quickly, with decisions expected within the next fortnight.
APTMA Chairman Asad Shafi said the textile and apparel industry was the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, contributing more than 60 percent of the country’s exports. As the largest export sector, he said, textiles needed strong institutional support to improve competitiveness, expand capacity and move into brands and designs, which would ultimately raise foreign exchange earnings. He welcomed EXIM Bank’s engagement with the industry and said closer coordination would support export-led growth.
Outgoing Chairman Kamran Arshad praised the operationalisation of the bank’s export financing facilities and its role in supporting export-oriented industry.
Leading exporters at the meeting shared their views on current financing schemes, including working capital and long-term investment financing. They stressed the need for timely and affordable finance for export-led growth, BMR, technology upgrades and new investment across manufacturing, research and development, and design and brand development.
The exporters also urged the bank to extend financing to indirect exporters in order to support modernisation across the value chain. They noted that textile production is a fully integrated process, and that exports cannot grow without upgrading technology and machinery at every level.
Both sides agreed to continue their dialogue on practical measures to improve export financing, facilitate investment and support higher exports.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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