Zahid Mazhar, Sr Vice Chairman All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) thanked Jean Francois Cautain Ambassador of EU delegation to Pakistan for his statement that the European Union (EU) is planning to enter into a five-year strategic partnership with Pakistan as the current relationship between the two has reached a matured level.
During the meeting with the Ambassador of EU to Pakistan at the Principal Office of APTMA Karachi, Vice Chairman also highlighted the importance of the Textile Industry of Pakistan in the economy. He stated that it contributes 8.5% to the GDP and 60% to the exports while employing 38% of the workforce.
Zahid Mazhar also thanked the Ambassador of EU to Pakistan for providing Pakistan the status of GSP+ and said that by this special market access to the EU countries, the textile industry of Pakistan has already started taking benefit of increasing exports and would further boost its exports in near future. He said that the Pakistan possesses a very efficient and vibrant business community which despite of heavy odds is making tremendous efforts towards the welfare of the people and the development of the economy.
"It takes GSP Plus program as incentive and not as conditionality, as it is our national duty under the constitution of Pakistan to protect the rights of the people and labours working at our business establishments", he added. He also informed the Ambassador about the implementation of the covenants of international agencies by majority of the textile units, especially pertaining to labor, health & environmental standards while paying a lot of attention to the rights of women.
He also informed that the government and the private sector are working hard to increase the literacy rate of the population and enhance the skills of the labour force to participate in the economic development of the country. He requested the Ambassador to advocate the brand owners of textiles from EU to divert bulk of their buying to Pakistan since it is very well placed for the production and supply of high quality textile goods at attractive prices.
He also requested him to encourage the investment by the EU Business Community in the textile sector of Pakistan in general and Technical Textiles in particular and promotion of joint ventures in the textile industry by the owners of famous EU textile brands. Jean Francois Cautain, Ambassador of EU Delegation to Pakistan appreciated the successful efforts of the government of Pakistan towards war against terrorism as Pakistan has been suffering wounds of terrorism for more than a decade and assured his full cooperation and using his good offices for portraying soft image of Pakistan in the EU Countries.-PR