ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s ailing textile sector needs immediate attention of the government, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Com­merce and Industry (FPCCI) said on Wednesday.

The chairman of FPCCI’s regional committee on industries, Atif Ikram Sheikh, said in a statement that the textile sector was the largest urban employment provider and largest foreign exchange earner and therefore deserved resolution of the problems, which have affected its exports.

Energy crisis, refund claims, input costs, the burden of taxes and lack of enabling rules have increased the cost of doing business for the sector, he said.

He said the current scenario was depressing as the production was restricted, exports were shrinking and the sector stood at a disadvantage as far as the economy and government’s support were concerned.

In this situation, the textile millers had no option but to start protests, he noted.

He said that instead of moving forward with the value addition, the country was going backwards by exporting more raw materials, such as cotton and yarn.

All the regional countries, he said, were following good practices, facilitating export sector, paying hidden subsidies while allowing export of surplus cotton only.

He said a proper regulatory policy for cotton and yarn exports and a liberal import policy for raw materials could save “one of the most important industries of the country”.

Published in Dawn, June 29th, 2017