All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has demanded of the government to slap a complete ban on the import of yarns, fabric and garments from India by putting these items on the negative list. Tariq Saud, Chairman APTMA Wednesday urged the federal government for putting the import of cotton and synthetic-based Indian textile goods, including all types of yarns, fabric and garments, on the negative list.
Addressing an in-house meeting of the association, Saud voiced concern over the situation, saying that the unchecked onslaught of imported and smuggled textile goods has created a crisis situation in the textile industry. Chairman APTMA said the domestic commerce has become hostage to the Indian goods, which has triggered joblessness and mills' closures in Pakistan. "It is an encroachment of the Indian textile industry on the domestic commerce of Pakistan," he added.
He said start of the summer production season is round the corner, which requires immediate action on the surge in dumping of Indian textile goods in Pakistan. He pointed out that India was providing safeguards to its textile industry and creating hurdles in the way of level playing field by having introduced Pakistan-specific duties, reaching to the highest range of 100 percent. Goods from Pakistan are therefore being subjected to discriminatory treatment.
For trade with India, the federal government should not deny a level playing field to the textile industry of Pakistan. "The water jet looks-based units of Pakistan are not able to sell their products to India because of the high rate of duties and Non-Tariff Barriers," he added. During the meeting, APTMA Punjab Chairman Aamir Fayyaz said India has waged an economic war on Pakistan by hurting its textile industry. He said time has come that the economic managers of the country should consider the situation seriously and take appropriate steps at the earliest to save the textile industry, which is the mainstay of Pakistan's economy.
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