Page 8 - July-August-2017
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                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            as the shortage of cotton-- 3.8 million bales, 4%   amount of attention to it” he added.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            customs duty and 5% sales tax has been
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         News                                                               re-imposed. Further mentioned were the energy     With an emphasis, he said that the earliest revival, as
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            costs that are more than 30% of the overall
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              well as the growth of the textile industry, is a must to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            conversion cost in weaving, spinning and the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            processing industry. The electricity tariff is 50%   navigate the jolting textile industry towards being a
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              better and stable competitor in the market. He also
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            higher than the regional competitors while that of the   highlighted the terrifying state of affairs in the industry
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            gas tariff is 100%. Another important highlighted   by saying that the production capacity of the textile
                                                                                                                                                     Pakistan lost 23pc                                                                                                                                     UFG, GIDC and cost of supply.                     across the value chain. Textile exports have declined by
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              industry of Pakistan has been impaired by 35%
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            point here was the various add-ons including the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              11%, its global market share has reduced by 23%,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              investment in the sector has dropped by 17% and 30%
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            While talking to the media the Chairman of APTMA,
                                                                                                                                            shares in world market                                                                                                                                          Aamir Fayyaz demanded for the zero rating of the   of the unemployment has already been redundant.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            textile raw materials, reductions in cost of doing
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              For seeking revival and growth of the textile industry
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            business, resolution of the liquidity issues, and filling
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              and to enable the industry to increase its production,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            up the policy implementations dividing immediately
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            to ensure restoration of the industry’s viability and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              exports and employment in broader economic
                                                                                                                                                                 APTMA                                                                                                                                      revival of the export potential of the country.   interest, Mr Fayyaz demanded complete realisation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              of Rs 180 billion textile package announced by the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Mr Fayyaz further said that the high cost of doing
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              PM in the starting month of 2017. Duty/tax-free
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            business, shortage of liquidity, the ongoing
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              import of cotton and polyester staple fibre, liquidation
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            policy-implementation divide and realization of only
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Rs03 billion out of Rs180 billion textile packages are   of all outstanding refunds of sales tax, withdrawal of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              all electricity surcharges, the supply of RLNG at
                                                                                                                                        In the massive blow to exports, Pakistan had   regional competitors are performing better than                                                                      a few major concerns of the industry at present. “The   Rs400/MMBTU and strengthening of domestic
                                                                                                                                        lost a prominent percentage of shares for    Pakistan. It showed how the Vietnam has been                                                                           viability of the textile industry has been eroded fast   commerce through tariff/non-affiliated measures to
                                                                                                                                        textile exports in the global market. With a loss   ranked first by showing a growth of about                                                                       but the government was not able to pay the required   counter informal trade and dumped imports.
                                                                                                                                        of about 23%, from 2.2% to 1.7%, the situation   107% in textile and clothing exports, followed
                                                                                                                                        is raising questions for the trade and economic   by Bangladesh with the growth of 64% in the
                                                                                                                                        policy makers and the government of Pakistan.   exports. Likewise, India has shown a growth of
                                                                                                                                        It also unfolds the latest arrangement on the   31% and Sri Lanka with 20% growth whereas;
                                                                                                                                        restoration of sustainability and growth of textile   Pakistan is still in the red zone with a negative
                                                                                                                                        industry, prepared by APTMA.                 growth of 11%.

                                                                                                                                        “The investment in textile and clothing      APTMA also pointed out the government by
                                                                                                                                        massively declined by 44% in 2016-17 on      saying that the bilateral trade agreements
                                                                                                                                        account of which, the country’s textile      meaning by that free trade agreement (FTAs)
                                                                                                                                        production capacity has got impaired by      finalized with various countries is faulty and
                                                                                                                                        30-35% due to which 150 industrial units have   failed to provide the level playing field to the
                                                                                                                                        become non-functional resulting in 30%       real stake holders, and export- oriented
                                                                                                                                        unemployment. More shockingly, the textile   industrial sector. The defamed law and order
                                                                                                                                        industry of Pakistan lost 15 percent         situations in Pakistan had also lead to the
                                                                                                                                        technological edge advantage over            limited militant activities and stopping the
                                                                                                                                        competitors.”                                investors to visit Pakistan. Though in recent
                                                                                                                                                                                     years the situations are improved there is a
                                                                                                                                        With the non-performance of the textile sector   need to take steps at the governmental level to
                                                                                                                                        of Pakistan, due to the highest cost of doing   change the perception of Pakistan around the
                                                                                                                                        business in the region, Pakistan is facing a very   world so that more buyers and investors can
                                                                                                                                        high trade deficit of $35.609 billion and the   visit Pakistan.
                                                                                                                                        external deficit has swelled to $16.305 billion. In
                                                                                                                                        this manner, APTMA, a number of times have   The presentation also revealed that the PM
                                                                                                                                        discussed and clearly mentioned how the      export lead growth package has gone reversed
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