May 20, 2003	Tuesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 17, 1424

ISLAMABAD, May 19: The government has decided to amend the Industrial Relation Ordinance (IRO), Factories Act and Condition of Employees Act to meet the trading requirements of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dawn has learnt.

It has also decided to make regulations concerning environment, effluent disposal laws and relevant procedures for industries would also be standardized to meet the challenges of the WTO because developed countries were taking excuses to impose trade restrictions even to investigate a particular case or export consignment.

A senior government official told Dawn that these decisions were taken by the Federal Textile Board (FTB) which met here on Monday and was presided over by Industries and Production Minister Liaquat Ali Khan Jatoi.

The meeting was informed that although the Uruguay Round addressed the issue of “technical barrier to trade” by introducing the agreement on TBT, yet it provided sufficient room to impose quality standards, both product specific and process specific.

The subject of non-trade barriers currently appeared to have no clear-cut demarcation and there exist a lot of grey areas. Foreign buyers provide their code of conduct and the local textile industry had to make compliance of their standards. Mostly, these issues related to labour laws, health and safety standards and environment standards.

In this regard, the FTB constituted a committee comprising secretaries of industries, labour, commerce and environment and representatives of other stakeholders to finalize their recommendations by May 30.

The meeting also decided that the existing committee on labour issues will continue to work and finalize its recommendations with in 12 days.

The report of the committee will be considered in the inter- ministerial meeting of ministers for industries, commerce and labour to be on May 30 and finalize its recommendations for decision.

An official statement quoting industries minister said the government was committed to enhancing exports, particularly in the textile sector and all the hindrance would be removed to compete in the world market.

He said that although export products were of very high quality, yet there was a need to comply with the commitment of required standards of international laws, safety and environment related issues.

The minister stressed the need for more virus free varieties of cotton and stated that a comprehensive campaign should be launched to educate the growers on the use of such varieties and the technology for overcoming the virus problems.

Mr Jatoi said that treatment plant for textile and all other industries was also a commitment of the government to properly dispose of the wastage and there should be no delay in this respect.

The minister asked the environment division to set up treatment plants at least in all the major industrial cities to meet the environment, health and safety standards.

The meeting also resolved that the Trading Corporation of Pakistan would play its role as catalyst to procure the clean cotton in the market to encourage the growers.

The next meeting of the FTB to discuss other important issues of textile industry and report on textile engineering industry of Pakistan would be held on May 29.