KARACHI, May 23: Patron-in-chief of Towel Manufacturers’ Association of Pakistan S.M.A. Rizvi has urged the commerce minister to restore the powers of Quota Supervisory Council (QSC) if smooth transition has to be ensured to quota-free era starting from year 2005.

In a statement issued on Friday, Mr Rizvi said ever since the powers of QSC had been stripped off by the government, it has assumed the role of an academic consultative body.

As a result of this, the administrative control of quota affairs once again came under the control of bureaucracy, he added.

The QSC is now just a liaison office between the exporters and the Ministry of Commerce. The chairman and committee members, Mr Rizvi said, were still working but actually the handling of quota works was carried out by the Ministry of Commerce and the EPB.

Despite these facts, he said, the entire blame of the working of quotas, whether good or bad, was thrown on the shoulders of the QSC. On papers, it is still written that the recommendations of the QSC would be accepted by the government but the fact is quite different.

The problems, which are now being faced by the government in quota administration, are only on account of fact that neither the recommendations of the QSC are accepted nor they have any power to supervise the working of the quota affairs.

Mr Rizvi said that if the power was once again transferred to the QSC there would be no problems of mishandling and the quota countries would be satisfied that Pakistan had carried out its responsibilities without any dispute of over-shipments or misunderstanding.

In case the government does not do as has been suggested, he feared a severe action and penalties from the quota imposing countries.