President Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) Shah Faisal Afridi while appreciating the revival of Pakistan Textile city project hoped that it would attract local and foreign investors in large number. About the significance of the project, Afridi said textiles has always been serving the country as the backbone of Pakistan's industrial base providing about 60 percent of foreign exchange earnings and employing around 40 percent of workforce.
President PCJCCI felicitated Dr Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, Chairman Pakistan Textile city to make successful endeavours for renewal of the project. He said Pakistan is the 8th largest exporter of textile products in Asia. This sector contributes 9.5 percent to the GDP and provides employment to about 15 million people, ie 30 percent of the 49 million workforce of the country, he said.
Afridi appreciated government's initiative to focus on this much awaited project that would not only help stabilise the economy but would also pave way for the other industries related to textile. He said Pakistan Textile City Limited is a public private joint venture company; a mega project driven by the Federal Government with a vision to develop and operate Pakistan's first state-of-the- art industrial zone near seaport dedicated for the value-added textile sector.
One window operation, uninterrupted utility supply, captive power plant, dedicated water supply pipeline, combined effluent treatment plant, sewerage and storm water drainage, fire fighting system and potable water supply line are some of the salient features of this project, he added.
He pointed out that a number of industries and work opportunities are directly or indirectly related with Textile Sector. For example, colours and dies, plastics, printing, machinery, etc, are equally affected by booms or busts in Textile sector; he said adding that development in one industry leads to the development and expansion of other industries as well.