The Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (Pregmea) has made it clear that the value-added sector was never part of a black day marked by the basic textile sector. "We have not observed October 14 as the black day and all units of the value-added sector from Karachi to Peshawar remained operational on Wednesday," said Association's chief co-ordinator Ijaz Khokhar.
"The apparel sector mostly consisted of small-and-medium-size units and all of them remained operative. We are not part of the black day." The Pakistan Apparel Federation including Knitwear Manufacturers, Supports wear and Supports goods, Towel Manufacturers, Hosiery Manufacturers, All Pakistan Textile Processing Manufacturers and Pregmea has opposed any regulatory duty to be imposed on the imported yarn and a barrier on the import of fabric for garments export.
He said, "The government should keep in mind that the black day has been observed only by yarn manufacturers [spinners], having just around 350 units, against the value-added sector, which comprises more than 10,000 units across the country. With regard to employment generation, one spinning unit generates just five percent of employment while garment unit creates 95 percent of employment."