June 02, 2007	Saturday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 16, 1428

LAHORE, June 1: Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan and head of the Senate’s standing committee on finance, economics and statistics, Ahmed Ali, have assured the All-Pakistan Textile Association (APTA) delegation of raising their voice for their concerns and recommendations at appropriate forums.

The APTA is a group of the All-Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) dissidents and is led by some former office-bearers of Aptma-Punjab.

APTA leaders are in the process of registering their group as a separate trade body.

The APTA delegation is trying to convince the government on issues confronting the textile industry, especially the spinning sector.

A press statement from the APTA said that the head of the Senate standing committee and the commerce minister gave them a patient hearing and assured of taking up their issues at appropriate forums.

The APTA stated in its presentation that the weaving units are also likely to be trapped by the current crisis facing the rest of the industry in case they are forced to import yarn at import parity. The country would have to bear loss of foreign exchange separately, it said.