Page 9 - TEXtalks. November- December 2023

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Pakistan has fixed an ambitious

target of reaching 100 billion

exports in the next five years

Pakistan has fixed an ambitious target of reaching accompanied the delegation, including the CEOs of
100 billion exports in the next five years, out of the top industrial groups in Pakistan. These include
which $50 billion would come from textiles. This is Fawad Ahmed Mukhtar, Muhammad All Tabba,
easier said than done, as we still need the Waqar Ahmed Malik, Abdul Samad Dawood, Raza
necessary infrastructure and technology in textiles. Mansha, Shahzad Asghar Ali, Samir Chinoy, Amir
Fayyaz Sheikh, Shahbaz Yaseen Malik, Ahsan
However, an Export Advisory Council for the top 12 Bashir, Syed Hyder Ali and Farooq Naseem.
Textile Exporters from all sectors has been formed
to achieve this target. The Textile Export Advisory One is confident in the sincerity of the Commerce
Council consists of some of Pakistan’s biggest Minister Gohar Ejaz. But ground realities belie his
exporters. These include Musadaq Zulqarnain, ambition. He is a dreamer but not a visionary, as to
Fawad Anwar, Shahid Soorty, Mian Ahsan, Yaqoob achieve an ambitious target, one must remove all
Ahmed, Amir Fayyaz Sheikh, Shahid Abdullah, hurdles before making tall claims.
Ahmed Kamal, and Ashraf Salim Mukaty.
After two meetings, the advisory body on textile
The second Export Advisory Council for Non-Textile exports has placed recommendations that have yet
sectors, with 12 Sector Chairmen, concluded that to be made public. Sources say the textile
the Road to Export Growth passes through China. stakeholders were concerned about high power
This cannot be expected in the textile sector, where rates, and the members from Sindh protested the
China is the primary and strongest competitor of all enhancement of gas tariff for Sindh and reduction
leading textile economies. China has been in Punjab after the principle of tariff rationalization
subdued in some textile sectors not because of was applied to gas on the same pattern as in
quality or price but due to sanctions imposed on its electricity. Ever since the induction of the caretaker
textiles from the United States and the European government, the gas and power tariffs have been
Union. raised to record levels. The government, bound by
the IMF program, cannot provide any relief. The IMF
A 20-member delegation representing all export has already banned any subsidies to exporters. So,
industry sectors is currently in China, marking the this impediment would continue to haunt the
beginning of our journey toward export-led growth. primary textile sector for at least two years. The
textile advisory council includes more significant
In addition to the members of the two Export representation in the advisory council to press
Advisory Councils, a third group has also their concern.

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