A 10-member German delegation, led by Parliamentary State Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Economic Co-operation and Development (BMZ), Thomas Silberhorn has visited the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) office to meet textile industry representatives.
He inaugurated the newly established Sustainable Production Centre (SPC) for the textile industry of Pakistan at the association's premises. The main objective for establishing the centre is to provide technical and advisory services to the textile industry of Pakistan on sustainable consumption and production related aspects. All major associations and stakeholders of the textile industry were present on the occasion.
In addition, topics such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, occupational health and safety, water management and social standards in the textile industry were discussed. The German government has been supporting the industry to help the association adapt sustainable practices in its supply chains.
APTMA Patron-in-Chief Gohar Ejaz and Chairman S M Tanveer earlier welcomed the delegation and thanked the delegates for their support for entire textile industry value chain of Pakistan. Gohar Ejaz said the association has been actively playing the role to sustain the textile industry in Pakistan and to save it from export related threats.
"Globally, there are numerous campaigns and treaties emerging on sustainable products such as textile and clothing items. After granting the GSP Plus status to Pakistan, it is also very important to implement all social and environment related conventions that are conditional to sustain the status beyond 2017," he said.
Considering the importance and need, the association had already extended various services for its member mills on sustainable practices (energy efficiency, renewable energy, OHAS and water management) with the help of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Programme of German International Co-operation. In this regard Energy Cell was also established at APTMA in 2008.
Through this platform, the association has achieved significant results on energy efficiency improvements and also on adoption of best practices including renewable technologies. Moreover, there is a huge potential within Pakistan's textile industry on energy conservation, efficiency improvement, water and waste management, labour productivity through implementation of social standards.