PHMEA seeks special incentives for textile export industry

Chaudhry Salamat Ali, Central Chairman, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association has demanded the govt to rank the textile industry among top priority as it is highest foreign exchange earner and employment provider and restore the zero rating of sales tax - "No payment No refund" system. 40 allied industries are associated with the textile export industry. Alike, construction industry, Prime Minister Imran Khan should also announce special incentives and package for the textile export industry, he added.

Ch. Salamat Ali mentioned that the country is facing complete lockdown in the wake of Corona Pandemic while the export industries which remained closed for the last more than one month, has started operating in phases after grant of permission from the Govt. Subsequent to the letter of Federal Secretary, Ministry of Commerce to all Provincial Chief Secretaries followed by verification of export orders by TDAP, the provincial governments are granting permissions to export industries which have completed procedural requirements, given undertakings and ensured to follow SOPs. Till date, TDAP has verified export orders of 608 export industries of Sindh while the Sindh Govt through its Home Department has granted permission to 391 export industries while the grant of permission to 217 is under process. Those export industries that have already got permission from the Sindh Govt are facing inconvenience to operate industry to manufacture export orders due to closure of our allied industries amid lockdown and our entire supply chain is disrupted and it is difficult to complete their export orders.

Consequently, PHMA requests the Govt to also allow allied industries to operate during lockdown to provide our export industry relevant materials and supplies enabling them to complete our export orders. In this connection, the allied industry is willing to fulfill all procedural requirement, compliance of SOPs and provision of Undertaking in this regard, he concluded.