ISLAMABAD, Dec 24: Pakistan’s export of sports and surgical goods recorded a decrease during the July-November period of the current fiscal year over the same period of the last year.

Official figures released here on Saturday indicated that export of sports goods declined by 4.61pc and surgical goods (medical instruments) by 19.72pc during the period under review despite the fact that government announced blanket tax exemption on these sectors in the budget.

In the sports group, the export of gloves and football registered a negative growth which provided employment to thousands of people.

This indicated that the taxation measures did not help in increasing the exports from these sectors, which rather resulted in steadily declining trend following the announcement of the package in the budget.

Analyst said that in case the government did not take timely measures to arrest the decline in the export, it would be very difficult to re-capture the market for these products besides closing of many industries.

Moreover, the overall export of engineering products registered a nominal growth of 2.80pc during the period under review over the last year. Of these, however, export of electric fans declined by 2.64pc, transport equipment 43.87pc during the same period. The export of auto parts increased by 17.58pc during the period under review.

The overall textile products exports increased by 27.53pc to $4.027bn during the July-Nov this year as against $3.158bn over the same period of the last year.

Export of readymade garments increased by 72.30pc, bedwear 79.59pc, cotton yarn 42.65pc, cotton cloth by 32.87pc and towels by 12.15pc during the period under review over the last year.

However, export of knitwear declined by 6.09pc, tents, canvas and tarpaulin by 43.03pc, art, silk, synthetic textile by 38.95pc and made up articles by 7.96pc during the period.

The export of leather manufacturers increased by 34.44pc and gems 12.95pc during the first five months this year over the last year.

While export of jewellery declined by 75.51pc, furniture 12.59pc, and molasses by 81.32pc during the period under review over the last year.

The export of primary commodities have registered an overall growth of 26.49pc during the months under review as against the last year. Of these export of rice increased by 41pc, fish and fish preparations 22.1pc, spices by 123.71pc during the same period under review.

The total value of exports during the July-Nov 2005 increased by 22.90pc to $6.626bn as against $5.391bn the same period last year.