A delegation of industrialists associated with textile sector led by Chairman All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) S.M Tanvir met Punjab Chief Minister, Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, here on Tuesday. Federal Minister for Textile Industry Abbas Khan Afridi, Member National Assembly Pervaiz Malik, Provincial Minister for Industry Chaudhary Muhammad Shafique, Advisor on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, Member Provincial Assembly Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Advisor Dr Ijaz Nabi, concerned federal secretaries and senior officials of Punjab government were also present on the occasion.
Chairman APTMA informed the Chief Minister about the problems of textile sector and the five years programme for the development of textile industry in the wake of granting of GSP Plus status to Pakistan. While talking to the delegation the Chief Minister said that hundreds of thousands of job opportunities can be created through development of textile sector. Awarding of GSP Plus status to Pakistan will result in substantial increase in textile exports therefore Punjab government has evolved the project of Quaid-e-Azam Apparel Park over a large area near motorway.
He said an agreement has been signed with the Chinese company for the establishment of Quaid-e-Azam Apparel Park, in which all modern facilities would be available to the textile and garments industry under one roof. This would strengthen textile sector and increase national exports since the government was determined to resolve energy crisis as early as possible as it is also essential for the development of industrial sector. He said the industrialists and investors would also have to play their role for resolving energy problem, there is a need to strengthen Cotton Research Institute for increasing cotton production and APTMA should present practicable proposals for this purpose. He said the textile sector is very important and its problems would be resolved on priority basis.
Federal Minister for Textile said that government is striving to resolve the problems of textile sector and all issues including energy problem would be resolved on priority basis. Chairman APTMA S.M Tanvir commended the efforts of Chief Minister Punjab Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif in the granting of GSP Plus status to Pakistan. He said that government is making sincere efforts to counter the problem of shortage of electricity. He thanked the Chief Minister for fulfilling the promise of supply of gas to industries in the province during winter. He said that textile exports would reach the figure of 26 billion dollars during next five years.