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Role of Education in
Articles the Revival Pakistan’s
Textile Industry
Professor Dr Tahir Shah, PhD, FTI, FRSC (UK)
Textile and clothing industry is the most important
sector of Pakistan’s economy with around 60% share
in the country’s annual exports and accounting for
8% of country’s GDP and more than 40% of the maintained good product quality and service stand-
industrial workforce. Pakistan is ranked 5th in the
world for cotton production and 3rd in cotton yarn
production. The fact is that the Pakistan textile
industry, which was once a fast developing and are often hesitant to place repeat orders with
lucrative national industrial sector, is now in perpetual
decline and is facing considerable challenges. The
reasons for this deterioration in the national state of
the textile industry are manifold but here we shall
mention only some of the main issues and challeng- directly related to the shortage of skilled and appro-
es that have plagued the industry. The first issue is
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machinery. The situation is deteriorating as many of
related to the global perception of the Pakistani textile
industry, which is worsening, except for a few manu-
facturers and exporters of textile products that have
ards.
International importers of Pakistani textile products
Pakistani suppliers. The main reasons for this are the
variation in the consistency and the quality of the
textile products and non-adherence to the agreed
time frames for the delivery of the goods. This is
priately qualified manpower and obsolete production
capabilities - with the help of the appropriate Govern- 57 significant role in the future developments in the
textile industry and other related sectors.
the capable employees are leaving the textile industry
due to the prevalent uncertainty related to the future consideration of the CPEC developments. In the fast-changing world and in view of the
mental organisations, to compete and prosper in
of the industry. The other important reasons for the
considerable challenges faced by the national textile
The textile industry must modernise in terms of textile
decline in the textile industry are the lack of efficiency,
industry, the academia must help and support the
low product innovation, non-enterprising environment
production technologies, well-qualified and trained
industry in addressing these issues and offer a way
and obsolete management practices.
manpower, and the ability to innovate and diversify
forward for the revival of, and development of an
the product range. The industrial organisations in the
enterprising and prosperous textile sector in
textiles and other related sectors in Pakistan must
A strong need to make advances
University needs to establish a purpose-built, modern
One of the major issues, which the textile industry improve the production efficiency and the quality of Pakistan. For this purpose, the National Textile
must tackle, is its almost total reliance on cotton
their products if they are to succeed in the face of the
and state of the art campus in order to provide the
fibre. Cotton may be the most popular textile fibre
growing regional and global competition.
environment and facilities, where innovative and
due to its abundant availability and desirable proper-
entrepreneurial graduates and researchers, with the
In the future, the traditional textile industry in Pakistan
ties, however, if we examine critically, the regular
cotton is one of the least sustainable and environ-
capabilities can thrive. The qualified workforce can
mentally favourable fibres. Its cultivation requires a must evolve in terms of time-to-market, flexibility, appropriate knowledge, skills, and leadership
product quality, productivity and resource efficiency.
considerable amount of water, pesticides, fertilizer, The industry must also move towards more promis- the need for reproducible product quality and country are very much dependent upon the strength then help industrial organisations to address the
labour and land. Furthermore, processing of ing and emerging textile technologies, which include reducing the cost of production. The industry must and sustainability of the wealth-producing challenges and succeed in a highly competitive
cotton-based textile products requires large quanti- but are not limited to nonwovens; technical textiles; be ready to adapt to this change and assess how businesses. As stated earlier, Pakistani businesses, global textile marketplace. The establishment of a
ties of water, chemicals, dyes and bleaches. For coatings; micro-encapsulations; enzyme; plasma; many new jobs will be created and displaced due to particularly in the textile sector, are confronting tough world-class campus will also encourage
countries that are water-stressed, such as Pakistan, laser; ultrasound; ultraviolet treatments; spraying; ink the various levels of automation. challenges in the face of increasing global international students and faculty to study and work
cotton production may become unsustainable not jet techniques; nanotechnology (processes on the competition. There is a need for innovation in product at the university.
too far in the future. Additionally, the quality of nanometre scale); three dimensional (3D) printing, Readying a new generation of experts development and increase corporate efficiency.
Pakistani cotton is not amongst the best in the world. and integration of ICT with textile structures for the A comprehensive study on the socio-economic There must be a strong focus on securing, retaining Leading Pakistan’s textile revolution
development of interactive textiles. impact of automation in the textile industry can and developing talent amongst the workforce. It is important to attract talented and bright students
We must look seriously into the development and use provide valuable data for the government agencies to textile education by offering them a modern and
of other cellulosic fibres, such lyocell, which can Planning for a competitive future and the industrial organisations for planning the way A thriving knowledge-based national economy attractive study environment and high-quality
replace the regular cotton fibre. However, the first However, the government and other stakeholders will forward and determine optimum levels of automation depends upon the outputs of the universities – the purposeful courses, leading to excellent employment
step in this direction could be to develop a focus on need to develop appropriate strategies at the nation- required in this highly labour intensive sector of the entrepreneurial culture that is developed amongst its opportunities and prospects. The textile industry in
the production of organic cotton, which does not al level for the development and promotion of country. The universities must also develop courses, graduates and the application and utilisation of the Pakistan must modernise by investing in the new
require the use of harmful chemicals such as fertiliz- technical textiles and other high-value textile products training programmes and research portfolios to research outputs. Academia must work hand-in-hand technologies and well-qualified workforce. It must be
ers or pesticides. Hemp and Jute fibres can also be that will have a considerable impact on the export enable the industry to prepare and meet the current with the corporate sector to identify the requirements emphasised that education is a fundamental
good natural alternatives to cotton, if an appropriate revenue of the country. The textile industry needs to and future challenges related to automation. It is of the industry for the type of courses and research necessity to increase the economic proficiency and
focus is placed on the cultivation and development of make a planned shift from the commodity products important to understand that any stagnant system or programmes that are needed in order to create wellbeing of a society, as it adds tremendous value to
these fibres that are much more sustainable than to the knowledge-based speciality products, oriented organisation that does not keep the pace with the graduates, researchers and technologists who can the efficiency of the workforce, and helps to create a
cotton. With efforts of the National Textile University, towards niche market segments to avoid fierce changing needs of the time is bound to fail and then understand and solve the wide-ranging and knowledge-based economy, which is the key for the
the Government has legalised controlled cultivation commodity price competition. cease to exist because the way we learn and work is complex issues faced by the textile industry. establishment of a sustainable, progressive and
of fibre grade Hemp in the country. This may be the always evolving. We must create the environment in competitive textile industry.
first step towards the development of a sustainable Moreover, the industry should also move steadily which the ability of the students and workers to National Textile University (NTU) is the only federal
natural textile fibre, which could play an important from mass production to customisation, which will learn, grow and perform in the fast-changing world university in Pakistan that is dedicated to textile The National Textile University has been making a
role in the progress of the textile sector in Pakistan. require, among other things, better capturing, is enhanced. education and research. The University has served valuable contribution to the education and training of
understanding and managing customer needs and well to provide adequate facilities for the delivery of the staff for the textile industry for many decades,
Another daunting challenge that the Pakistani textile preferences. Sophisticated CAD and virtual prototyp- Therefore, universities must prepare the students and training and teaching programs for many decades, and now it must provide the facilities and
industry will face in the near future is related to the ing solutions, flexible customized production researchers with the skills and knowledge they will and has played a key role in the provision of the environment that are required to create the
China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The systems, intelligent logistics, IoT, and internet-based need not just today but also for the future educated human resource to Pakistan’s Textile Industry. graduates, researchers and technologist of the
CPEC project is mainly related to the development of communication systems between manufacturers, requirements of highly ‘intelligent’ and automated future. NTU is probably the only national university in
transport infrastructure such as roads, bridges, ports distributors and end-users must be developed and working environments. The teaching courses must be Now the University must move to the next level of the world that has its fundamental focus in the field of
and railways, and energy projects such as gas adopted by the national textile sector. designed according to the needs of the industry and progress in order to deliver education and research & textiles. The revival of the national textile industry i
pipelines and power plants. However, China is also must be flexible, innovative and interdisciplinary in development programmes that are fit for the future an absolute necessity as it is the most important
adding a considerable new textile production and There is another important area of futuristic percep- content and mode of delivery. This can be achieved and will help the Pakistan’s textile industry modernise sector for the economic security of the country and
export capability to its already very sizeable textile tion to be considered by the textile educationists and by engaging the students and researchers in a and compete in the international market. It must be only through the provision of world-class education
production capacity. Many of these developments the industry – the advent of machine learning and modern, entrepreneurial and innovative environment. part of the NTU’s vision to create a culture and and research can we build a strong and
are taking place in the Chinese provinces next to robotics, which will have a strong impact on all environment in which innovation and knowledge-based world-leading textile industry
Pakistan. It is therefore vital that the Pakistani textile aspects of our lives. Textile production will not be The economic prosperity and social wellbeing of a commercialisation of its research can play a very in Pakistan.
industry modernises and develops strategies and immune to this fast-growing automation because of
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