May 7, 2003	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 4, 1424

KARACHI, May 6: Senator Ahmed Ali has assured to take up all the issues confronting hosiery and knitwear exports with the government and in the Senate.

Speaking at a dinner organized by Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA) on Monday he said that such problems as deteriorating law and order, water shortage, and poor infrastructure are major impediments to the growth of exports of value-added textile goods.

The senator who belongs to business community and is a member of PHMA also admitted that high power and gas tariffs were also having adverse impact on the input cost of the textile products and are making them uncompetitive in the world market.

Earlier, in his address of welcome, PHMA chairman (central) M Zubair Motiwala recognized the fact that there was an upward trend in the economy and exports are also improving but he stressed the point the export could double if the government provides conducive atmosphere.

He said the government should reduce sales tax rate if corruption has to be checked and higher revenue collection are to be collected.

Similarly, he stressed upon the need to improve infrastructure and reduce power and gas rates.

Aslam Ahmed Karsaz, chairman PHMA (Sindh-Balochistan zone) invited the attention of senator Ahmed Ali towards the issue of compliance and referred to harassment of exporters at the hands of 27 agencies, including SESSI, EOBI and Civil Defence.

He said that the WTO regime will be bringing a lot of challenges for export trade particularly when quotas will be lifted—and survival of the fittest will be the rule of the game in the world markets.

Karsaz said it was imperative for the government to facilitate export trade and introduce one-window system to enable exporters concentrate on their production, planning, marketing and quality control.