LAHORE: Ms Jane Marriott CMG OBE, British High Commissioner to Pakistan, accompanied by Ben Warrington, Head of Lahore Office, British High Commission, and Mrs. Reema Salman, Outreach Lead, British High Commission Lahore, visited APTMA House, Lahore for an interactive session with APTMA leadership and senior members on key textile sector matters and opportunities for greater cooperation with British stakeholders.
The meeting provided a platform to discuss practical avenues for strengthening commercial, institutional and technical cooperation between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, with particular focus on the textile and apparel value chain. The visiting delegation was warmly received by APTMA office bearers, including Asad Shafi Chairman, Muhammad Anees Khawaja Vice Chairman, Muhammad Siddique Bhatti Chairman North, Habib Anwar Sheikh Senior Vice Chairman North, Muhammad Ali Vice Chairman North, Danish Aslam Treasurer North, Haroon Elahi, Adeel Mehmood , Anjum Zafar, S. M Nabeel, Asad Kamal, Ameer Irfan, Faisal Jawed, Sufyan Akhtar, Saad Siddique Bhatti, Tahir Bashart Cheema, and Secretary General Raza Baqir along with other senior members of the association.
High Commissioner highly appreciated the textile industry of Pakistan for its diversity and complying with the sustainability issues and compliances of international conventions. She urged business community in general and the exporters in particular to adopt immediate measures for implementation of all conventions and to annual tariff exemptions for import into UK.
The visiting envoy said Pakistani entrepreneurs should actively participate in trade fairs and exhibitions held in UK for direct access to British buyers and consumers.
High Commissioner for UK stressed the need to explore the avenues for improved market access and stronger linkages with British high-street brands and retailers, with a view to supporting commercially meaningful partnerships across the value chain. She emphasised practical steps for partnership and collaboration innovations and research especially in technical and specialized textiles.
She urged APTMA members to identify suitable British consultants and sector specialists who could assist the industry in areas of common interest.
Speaking on the occasion, Asad Shafi Chairman APTMA highlighted the textile and apparel sector as an important platform for expanding the longstanding and mutually beneficial relationship between Pakistan and the United Kingdom. He said that Pakistan and the United Kingdom enjoy longstanding relations and significant potential exists to deepen bilateral Strade, investment and institutional cooperation. He said stronger engagement with British stakeholders could improve competitiveness, sustainability, innovation and international market access across every segment of Pakistan’s textile industry.
Asad said collaboration with British textile laboratories, testing facilities, universities and research centres could support product development, quality assurance, sustainability, innovation and technical capacity building.
He stressed the importance of developing a practical framework for cooperation between APTMA, British High Commission and relevant UK institutions to translate shared priorities into concrete initiatives across spinning, weaving, processing, garments, home textiles and export-oriented manufacturing.
Asad expressed the hope that closer linkages with British brands, retailers, consultants, technical institutions and investors would create new commercial opportunities while advancing responsible and sustainable growth in the sector.
Muhammad Siddique Bhatti, Chairman North, said today’s interaction has provided APTMA members with an opportunity to present the industry’s priorities and identify areas where British expertise and institutional support could enhance productivity, foster innovation, strengthen skills development and improve access to the UK market.
Siddique Bhatti also reaffirmed APTMA’s commitment to constructive engagement with the British High Commission and relevant stakeholders for building durable partnerships that benefit the textile value chain and strengthen UK–Pakistan economic cooperation.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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