The government has approved export of textile masks across the world except surgical and N-95 masks. This was revealed by Prime Minister Advisor on Commerce and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood.

According to a letter of Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination, in a letter to Chairperson Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Ms Nausheen Javaid Amjad, National Command and Operations Committee (NCOC) has deliberated upon the issue of purported ban imposed on export of cotton masks in its meeting held on April 16, followed by April 20, 2020.

Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination also clarified that the federal government has imposed ban on the exports of N-95 and surgical masks only, and in no manner the list contains the inclusion of cotton masks.

Chairperson FBR has been requested to issue directions to all the concerned for abiding by the SRO hearing the sanctioned items listed in it, while allowing the export of the cotton masks to avoid any difficulty faced by exporters of the permissible products.

Razak Dawood has advised the exporters to contact FBR and Ministry of Commerce in case of any difficulty.

He further stated the West was slowly opening up and there were trickles of orders coming in, adding those orders were in different segments to where Pakistan was prior to the coronavirus.