Spinning mill-owners on Thursday hinted at parting ways with All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma), saying the latter has failed to resolve their problems and plead their case before the government in an effective manner.
The representatives of spinning mill-owners at a meeting held at zonal office of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) unanimously decided to dispatch a letter to the Aptma chairman requesting him to call an emergency meeting to hear their point of view and redress their grievances before 12th of this month.
If the Aptma leadership failed to satisfy them, the spinners will meet again at the same venue on 12th to form their own body namely, "All Pakistan Spinning Mills Association (Apsma)".
More than two dozen spinners attended the meeting, which was presided over by Adil Mehmood, the chairman of FPCCI Committee on Textiles. He told the participants that majority of spinning mill-owners from all over the country had supported them on the issue and were ready to be part of the proposed Apsma.
A hot debate took place among the participants and some including the chair came up with the view that Aptma had lost confidence of spinners, therefore, they should form their association without wasting further time.
They claimed that the Aptma leadership had not properly pleaded the case of spinners before the government. Majority of the participants was of the view that they should form a separate body as a last resort and give Aptma another chance because their separation will weaken their strength in the longer term, which will ultimately damage their cause.
The participants further observed that on the recommendation of Aptma, the government had agreed for 3-4 percent rebate on exports, which according to the authorities will have a trickle down effect on other industries.
"But we are sure that it will not serve our purpose and the trickle down effect of this measure will have no tangible impact on the spinning industry, Adil Mehmood observed. Now we have to plead our case on our own before the government as Aptma leadership have lost its credibility.
Other salient features of the agenda included: Aptma has lost its credibility; its membership has gone down by 60-percent and is now rich mills club, caring only about health mills; and its membership fee is too high. The participants said that Aptma had agreed with the government about the package, which did not suit spinning units at all.
They also demanded that the government should give spinners an exit policy; duties and taxes from polyester and other raw material used in spinning mills be removed; special security, EOBI, education cess and textile cess be removed; electricity tariff for textile be reduced and fixed charge abolished; reduction in interest rate, no further increase in salary/wages and other benefits for workers; cotton import through Wahga border.
They also demanded that the State Bank should instruct banks not to ask for personal guarantee of directors, when sufficient collateral are provided to the banks and loans are given to companies not directors.