Chairman of Carpet Training Institute (CTI), Ejazur Rehman, has demanded the Punjab government provide support in the revival of the hand-woven carpet industry besides this setting up carpet training and production centers across the province should be revived, which will provide adequate training to the skilled workers associated with this industry and facilities to the manufacturers.
“In the past, the carpet sector has been one of the main export sectors of Pakistan, but during the last decade, Pakistan’s carpet exports have seen a drastic decline of more than 60 percent,” he expressed these views while addressing the review meeting at the Carpet Training Institute.
He said that it is a matter of great concern that exports of hand-woven carpets have reduced from $500 million to only $75 million which is a cause for concern. “Pakistan’s representation in international exhibitions is negligible due to which our products are not properly promoted and export orders are not received,” adding he said that on the contrary, exporters from other countries, including traditional competitors, are given government-level support to participate in international exhibitions, which they take full advantage of and if a permanent carpet street is established, the demand for Pakistani carpets in the international market can increase.
He said that the deteriorating law and order situation, rising production costs, shortage of skilled manpower, and high rate of markup are also the reasons for the decrease in exports.
Ejazur Rehman said that 80 percent of the carpet industry is located in Punjab, in the 70s and 80s, more than 80 carpet training and production centers were working in each tehsil headquarters of Punjab under the control of Punjab Small Industries Corporation and there is a demand that the provincial government should restore this model. “To overcome the shortage of production of carpets, carpet washing, finishing, designing, training institutes, weaving, and common facilities centers should be established especially in Lahore and Bahawalpur to provide all facilities under one roof, adding he concluded that this move will help in reviving the ailing industry by attracting 0.5 million unemployed people and above all re-increasing the volume of carpet exports.
Carpet sector demanded support from the Punjab government
