FAISALABAD: Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) blamed lukewarm attitude of previous governments for impairing the textile exporters’ ability to maintain their presence in international markets thus decreasing export from $26 billion to $18 billion.
Addressing a meeting of the textile millers before his departure abroad, FCCI President Shabbir Hussain Chawla said that government in-waiting should start homework right now to announce special package based on already formulated PTI Textile Policy so that it could be implemented immediately with the taking over of powers by the PTI government in centre.
He said that this decline plunged the national economy in deep crisis and despite of pressing demands of the textile sector, the declining trends continued to prevail as governments took only cosmetic steps to the satisfy the business community. He said that on the other hand our regional competitors including Bangladesh captured our markets and now its textile export have jump to 30 billion dollar while Pakistani exports are dwindling far behind.
He further pointed out that import export gap has also further widened posing a serious threat to the economic viability of Pakistan. He appreciated the efforts of PTI to restore the textile sector on sound footings and said that renowned businessman Zafar Iqbal Sarwar had formulated the PTI textile policy which was dually presented and appreciated by its Chairman Imran Khan.
He said that now as the PTI has made a clean sweep in general election and was ready to form the new government; it should divert its entire focus on the revival of textile sector which is the only available option to restore the national economy within shortest possible time.
He said that in order to implement this policy PTI should nominate Zafar Iqbal Sarwar as “Textile Adviser” so that he could ensure necessary measures to revive the textile sector which was passing through a protracted crisis.
