Value-added textile sector sets forth its first proposals to the elected government, mainly highlighting perennial problems of power, gas and cotton yarn facing the manufacturing units. Central Chairman of Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA), Muhammad Javed Bilwani invited the elected PML-N government to set a benchmark for cotton yarn export to spare a better amount to the industry.
"Capping mechanism is also placed on the export of coarse cotton yarn which is required by the value added textile sector," he said. He said the export-oriented apparel industry is struggling to acquire gas, electricity and cotton yarn as their unavailability leaves manufacturing scaled down in crucial stages around the year.
"Moreover we have learnt that some Public Limited Companies, exporters of cotton yarn practice under invoicing and negotiate price, eg $3 per kg while invoice is made for $2.80 and 20 cents are made to be deposited in accounts abroad and ultimately the shareholder is the sufferer. Only value-added fine count cotton yarn be allowed to be exported with monitoring of the price which should not be lower than international price," he said.
The apparel industry is the largest jobs generating sector employing male and female segment of the society to play its socio-economic role for the nation, he said, adding that the sector allies nearly 30 different industries as well. Bilwani said the lifeline of the country's weak economy is hinged on "pragmatic and consistent policies" by the government to bring out the nation from economic crisis. "We [apparel textile exporters] request for immediate necessary action on the proposals for the betterment of the people," he said.