Huge gap between imports, export a challenge for government: PHMA

Widening gap between import and export is a challenge for the government as well as for the under training trade and commerce officers of the commerce and textile ministry, said Pakistani Hosiery and Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PHMA) North Zone's senior vice chairman Mian Kashif Zia.
Addressing the under training trade and commerce officers, he briefly narrated the organ gram of his association and told that PHMA is knitted manufacturer and exporters. The numbers of its member companies are around 1600 and it has privilege to provide maximum job opportunities in the country. He further told that the foreign exchange of 3.2 billion dollars is garment export hence, its share in textile export sector is 20 and total national export is 14 percent. He told that PHMA offices are present in Faisalabad, Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. He told that this association is contributing its role in policy formulation while it was also managing a training institution.
Continuing, Kashif said main reason of decline in textile export is lack of coordination between stakeholders and policy makers. He also expressed concern over electricity tariff rates in Pakistan which was 19 percent extra in Vietnam. He demanded compatible electricity rates so that Pakistani exporters could compete with the regional countries. He also stressed to project soft image of Pakistan. Quoting an example he told that India is swarming poverty and other social problems but its government has maintained its image. He said unnecessary taxation has increased our cost of all production and government should eliminate taxes on experts so that our export could compete with other regional countries.
Regarding FTA's with other countries he said there agreements should be inked on equal terms and we should not allow any FTA to exploit it to increase its export at the cost of our importers.
Pakistan Institute of Trade and Development director training Nazish Sami told that global trade has become imperative for the economic stability of any country and we must concentrate on stabilizing our economy. She told that the purpose of this study tour of under trainee officers is to have direct links with stakeholders and discuss their issues with them.
Question Answer session was held in which Syed Zia Alumdar Hussain, Mian Naeem, Qamar Aftab and Muhammad Amjad Khuwaja responded to the questions of under training officers. Later Mian Kashif Zia presented PHMA shield to Nazish Sami.