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The ongoing 'Textile Relief Package' is just a beginning of textile reforms, which would continue in the years ahead while the prices of electricity and gas are likely to recede within a year.
These aspirations were envisaged by Federal Minister for Textile Industry, Mushtaq Ali Cheema, while addressing members of All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association (Aptpma) on conclusion of its annual elections during their annual function wherein he was chief guest. Zaheer-ud-Din Khan, Provincial Minister for Transport, Telecommunication and Development, was the guest of honour on this occasion.
In reply to the address of welcome presented by the outgoing Chairman of Aptpma, Dr Arshad A Vohra, and incoming Chairman, Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, the Textile Minister reiterated that whereas the textile industry of Pakistan was a self-generating entity, its growth had been retarded due to withdrawal of textile quota regime during the current era of globalisation and WTO.
"With the cessation of textile quota, however, our textile exporters have been constrained to take recourse to de-certification and value-addition, which would be instrumental in augmenting our textile exports. Whereas the Textile Industry of Pakistan had been craving for a unified policy, the installation of the specific ministry of textile industry has provided it a potent platform for progress and development.
The corrective measures adopted by the Ministry so far, including the allocation of a Rs 40 billion 'relief package', introduction of R & D. support programme, relief in mark-up of export re-financing and the laying out of a chain of 'Textile Cities' and 'Garment Cities' on the pattern of EPZ would go a long way towards ameliorating the lot of the textile industry."
Referring to the high rates of gas and electricity, he said that this trend had augmented because the government had based the prices of gas and electricity on the prices of imported crude oil, which are likely to recede within the foreseeable future, after which the prices of gas and electricity would come down automatically.
Earlier, the outgoing Aptpma chairman and incoming chairman highlighted the problems of the textile processing sector. They dwelt at some length on the need for consolidating the Federal Textile Board for providing level playing field to all players ranging from growers of cotton right up to garments exporters.
They also dwelt briefly on the prospects of World Trade Order in the era of globalisation and lauded the corrective and remedial measures adopted by the Ministry so far and stressed the need for continuation of the strategy to ensure sustainable development.
The Chairman-elect, Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, appreciated relief measures adopted by the Ministry, especially the zero-rating of sales tax on utility bills in response to the presentation made by Aptpma's former chairman Zubair Motiwala, besides introduction of R & D support programme, zero rating of import of textile dyes and chemicals and relief for load-shedding of gas for industrial consumers of gas during the winter season.
He also suggested the induction of a few additional corrective measures including upgradation of Aptpma from 'B' to 'A' grade, rationalisation of prices of inputs like gas, electricity, water and chemicals. He requested the provincial minister for transport for inclusion of Aptpma in the Punjab industrial Estates Development & Management Committee.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2006

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