All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma), Punjab zone, President Akbar Sheikh has urged the government to keep its promises of not levying import duty on raw materials for export-oriented textile industries, which employ four million workers and constitutes 65 percent of the country's total export.
He was talking to media persons here on Saturday at 6the Aptma office. He also said although it had not commented on the working of pure terephthalic acid (PTA) manufacturers, who are continuously criticising the entire textile industry of Pakistan.
He said: "It is unfortunate that the PTA manufacturers are issuing false statements, but are also spoiling working relationship between textile industry and other polyester fiber manufacturers. Aptma had reiterated several times that it wishes to maintain a healthy customer-manufacturer relationship with the polyester staple fiber manufacturers."
He said the textile industry must be allowed to retain zero-rated duty import option as local the polyester staple fiber (PSF) manufacturers do not allow long-term booking while long-term commitments can be obtained in international market with firm price commitments. In addition, the textile industry can avail delayed payment and dollar borrowing facility when importing polyester fiber, he added.
He was in favour of government providing any financial support to polyester chain, as it had been providing for the last 10 years, but it should not come at the cost of textile industry.
He said that duty-free import of raw materials was the basic right of the export industry. Th Duty and Tax Remission for Export (DTRE) scheme was not workable in textile chain and any import duty on PSF will not be acceptable to textile industry. Akbar Sheikh said that Aptma could not execute its vision of doubling exports in five years, if fundamental trade principles were violated.
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