22 January 2004	Thursday	29 Ziqa'ad 1424

FAISALABAD, Jan 21: The All Pakistan Cloth Exporters Association has demanded of the government not to change its policies rampantly and take into confidence the exporters before the issuance of any orders related to them.

In a statement here on Wednesday, APCEA chairman Ahmad Kamal said that exports were passing through a critical phase to improve the quality of their products to face the challenges of 2005. Hence they deserve full government's support and patronage, he said and hoped the government would continue to interact with exporters and pay a sympathetic consideration to their problems.

He said that textile exporters had appreciated the extension in SRO410 and said that it would facilitate them to achieve the export targets. He said the exporters were trying to switch over from SRO to DTRE rules. He added that 200 out of the total 1,000 exporters were already availing the facility of Duty and Tax Remission for Export.

However, the APCEA chief said that most of the small exporters were still importing raw materials under SRO as they were facing some practical difficulties in switching over process from SRO to DTRE.

He pointed out that the government was serious and intended to facilitate the exporters and this extension in temporary importation scheme was indicative of the government's firm resolve.

Mr Kamal said that extension in SRO410 up to June 30 would facilitate the exporters of value-added items to continue temporary imports and also remove the difficulties and bottlenecks in switching over to DTRE scheme.

The APCEA chairman assured that exporters would avail the facility of extension of time period in SRO410 to prepare themselves to fully adopt DTRE scheme in greater national interest.