KARACHI, July 16: The Towel Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (TMAP) has urged the government to convert the Export Promotion Bureau into a corporation and hand over its management to the private sector.

"The EPB chairman should be the head of the corporation and there should be a strong executive committee comprising at least 12 persons of which four should be of government nominees."

The TMAP in its Trade Policy 2004-05 suggestions said that one of the major roles of the EPB (quota distribution) would end in 2004. During this interim period, the auditors should be bound that they will return the documents within 24 hours if there is objection.

Their duties only are to point out the discrepancies and they in no way can act as a judge and keep document holding so that decision is made according to their whims and wishes.

"Auditors have earned a windfall from the EPB and they should engage extra staff to dispose of every paper the same day it is received by them because there is not going to be any carryover or flexibilities after the year 2004."

S.M.A. Rizvi of the TMAP in a statement said that several schemes were launched in the last year's Trade Policy aimed at creating an atmosphere of investment and industrial development but businessmen could not avail opportunities.

The same schemes could be made more attractive with better incentives and lower rate of interest, he added. The TMAP has called for providing checks and balances in the new policy to ensure availability of quality yarn at reasonable prices to the domestic industry.

"The government should allocate more funds to institutes and research and development work on the textile sector from the export development surcharge which they collect without demanding a matching amount which is really cruel," it said.

"The government should every year put before businessmen the details of receipts sector-wise, the amount spend on the sector as well as complete detail of income and expenditure accompanied so that it could be known as to where the money is being spent."

As the prices of raw materials like chemicals, dyes and packing and finishing materials are increasing, the association urged the government to subsidize these from the export development surcharge fund.