Business & Finance

APTMA vows to diminish trade deficit

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If support and ownership will be given to the industry, Pakistan's trade deficit will be to zero, he said.

Gohar said that last year the textile exports stood at $ 10.5 billion and during the current financial year we want to add $ four billion bringing the total exports to US $ 14.5 billion.

The Chairman regretted that Pakistan's share in the total exports of the world is only 1.3 percent while textile export potential is very high.

Earlier President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday called for declaring 2011 as "Textile Year" to substantially increase cotton cultivation to develop new and high yielding varieties of cotton and attract robust investment to promote textile industry.

President said that the government adopted the policy of public-private partnership for rapid development, poverty reduction and employment opportunities across the country.

Zardari also highlighted the importance of textile sector in the economic development and said that the setting up of garment cities in Karachi, Lahore and Faisalabad is recognition of the importance the government accords to the textile sector.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011