APTPMA opposes cut in customs duty on 'textile items'

All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association (APTPMA) has strongly opposed the request to the Ministry of Commerce, to reduce the Customs Duty on "Textile Items" mentioned in the Consultation Notice.
In a letter to all concerned high ups, APTPMA stated that the Ministry of Commerce is well aware that all exporters of textile can import all their inputs at 'ZERO PERCENT', to be used in products meant for export, under SRO.492(I)/2009 (for all textile items under Chapter 52,53, 54, 55 and 60) SRO.450(I)/2001 (For Chapter 59 items). We do not see any justification for reduction of import duty on these textile items under the grab of improving exporters' competitiveness, Textile Processors added.
APTPMA explained that the items on which the Ministry wants to reduce duties include all woven fabric, in grey, bleached, dyed, printed or coated forms. The fabrics could be plain or twill weave; could be 100% cotton or blended; could be less than 100 GSM or more than 100 GSM. There is already unutilized capacity of weaving, bleaching, dyeing, printing and coating of fabric and there is no shortage of these products in the domestic market. So we don't see any logic or necessity to reduce custom duty on these imported goods which shall adversely affect the local textile industry, resulting in its closure, creating unemployment which shall create unrest in the Country.