Value added textile sector has applauded the Ministry of Textile Industry's performance under the leadership of Rana Farooq, as the textile exports have posted over 20 percent growth in seven months.
Chairman of value added sector Rana Mohammad Mushtaq, Chairman Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) Ijaz Khokar, Chairman Pakistan Denim Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Shahid Soorty, Chairman Pakistan Cloth Merchant Association, Abid Chinoy, Ex Chairman Towel Manufacturing Association, Waqar Alam, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association, Chairman North Zone, Chaudry Salamat and Mohsin Ayub Mirza, former chairman PRGMEA has shown complete confidence in minister textile's efforts to improve industry.
They said that the minister has handled the textile sector remarkably during this hard time and with the efforts of the minister the textile exports were increasing rapidly. Appreciating the textile minister's performance, they said that after a long time, the textile sector has posted healthy growth. In addition, during the current fiscal year overall export is also likely to cross $20 billion mark followed by better performance of the textile sector.
"With the efforts of Rana Muhammad Farooq, the federal government has also announced five-year textile policy and the current increase in the textile export is also attributed to this policy," they said. Any changes on top level in the ministry of textile industry will directly hurt the growth process of the value added textile sector and some more projects like EU concession may be further delayed or jeopardised, they said. The textile leaders have hoped that Rana Farooq would continue to lead the industry and with his great efforts the textile sector could play a vital role to boost the economy.
Once the solo textile policy has been announced by Rana Farooq, he has been doing the best of his efforts to improve the textile exports despite all hurdles from energy crisis to training, the minister has done a great job and shown his involvement in each sector, they added.
They have demanded that the textile ministry, which is the largest employer of the country, should be given maximum power and flexibility to operate and should be taken on board on issues like EU concessions. They added "in spite all the hurdles a substantial growth in all textile sector is noticed due to efforts made by the ministry of the textile industry". With this kind of constant growth the value added sector could soon complete all targets set in textile policy thus creating a tremendous number of jobs and turning a trade deficit country into a trade surplus country, they said.