March 16, 2003	Sunday	Muharram 12, 1424

ISLAMABAD, March 15: The Commerce Minister, Humayun Akhtar has assured polyester manufacturers that their problems will be looked into and the final decision regarding duty drawback rates will be taken after consulting all the stakeholders.

The minister made this assurance to a delegation of polyester fibre manufacturers who met him here and apprised him of their problems, besides demanding a revision of duty drawback rates.

In addition to their request for revision/rationalization of the rate of duty drawback, the delegation also discussed the inclusion of polyester fibre in the DTRE Scheme and price hike in the polyester market due to skyrocketed oil prices because of Iraq crisis.

The minister gave a sympathetic hearing to the demands of the polyester fibre manufacturers.

The representatives of polyester fibre manufacturers, All Pakistan Power Looms Association, All Pakistan Textile Mills Association attended the meeting, in addition to Khalid Saeed, Additional Secretary Commerce and other officials of the commerce ministry.—APP