November 8, 2002	Friday	Ramazan 2,1423

FAISALABAD, Nov 7: Khurram Iftikhar, chairman, All Pakistan Cloth Exporters Association (APCEA), on Thursday demanded immediate release of held up consignments of bedding items (Cat-666) at US ports, enabling Pakistani exporters avoid demurrage and fulfilling delivery schedule of goods.

Hailing the consensus reached between Commerce Minister Abdul Razak Dawood and visiting US under secretary of state for economic and agricultural affairs Alan Larson, the APCEA chief said it was a positive development in Pakistan-US trade ties.

Talking to newsmen here, Khurram Iftikhar said ever since the tragic incident of 9/11, Pakistani exports to US, particularly textile exports, were hard hit and in the wake of subsequent political developments in South Asian region exports from Pakistan to US were totally disrupted for three months.

He said due to consistent efforts textile exports to US had increased by 24 per cent in the current quota year. This achievement of Pakistani exporters was appreciable in view of currency fluctuations, frequent price hike in inputs like electricity, gas, petroleum products, increase in freight charges and economic recession worldwide, he argued.

Technical, legal and procedural methods, however, have impeded the Pakistani exports to US and textile quota restrictions on man-made bedding items from Pakistan only was one such instances, he said. This discriminatory treatment was repeatedly broached with the US authorities but to no avail.

The APCEA chairman said that breakthrough achieved for removing quota restrictions on man-made bedding items in bilateral trade talks with US would provide necessary help to boost the textile exports to US.

Mr Khurram, however, emphasized the need for immediate implementation of the consensus and early working out of modalities of the agreement and issuance of necessary notifications in this respect. He demanded that the government should persuade the US authorities to allow release of the consignments.