LAHORE: Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PCMEA) Sunday urged the government to take concrete steps for increasing country’s exports in the international markets.

Carpet Training Institute (CTI) Chairperson Parvez Hanif, PCMEA Group Leader Abdul Latif Malik, Vice Chairman Ejaz-ur-Rehman, Senior Executive Members Riaz Ahmed and Saeed Khan told the media here that previously, Pakistan earned millions of dollars through carpet export. However, they demanded of the government to support all types of exports of Pakistani handmade carpets to the world market.

They mentioned that PCMEA has since long been calling for solving carpet sector’s problems to increase its exports. “We want the government to play a key role in solving the long-standing problems of the handloom carpet industry,” CTI Chairperson said.

Pakistan’s handmade carpet products has a unique identity around the world; therefore, manufacturers and exporters, who had been working for decades, were emotionally attached to it despite unfavourable conditions. “Despite having small resources, our carpet exporters are taking all steps to compete with their competitors especially India,” said Abdul Latif Malik.

The PCMEA leaders said that handloom carpet industry can also provide employment to people in rural areas at their doorsteps. It urged the government to assign special tasks to all Pakistani embassies across the globe to help exporters promote ‘Made in Pakistan’ products. They urged the government to appoint commercial attaches in Pakistani Missions abroad with a special task to help increase Pakistani exports.