FAISALABAD, June 15: Three ‘garment cities’ will be established in Faisalabad to boost exports and earn foreign exchange. This was stated by Ministry of Textile Industry Secretary Masood Alam Rizvi while speaking at a meeting of local industrialists here on Wednesday.

“I am visiting the city to understand irritants and hurdles in addition to discussing necessary remedial measures to carry out this project without any delay.”

Mr Rizvi said the federal government wanted to increase garment exports. The article of memorandum of the garment cities would be approved unanimously, however, it should be in line with the memorandum adopted for garment cities of Lahore and Karachi, he said.

The secretary said all stakeholders, including associations concerned, would be given due representation in the board of directors of the garment cities.

Earlier, members of the steering committee for the Faisalabad garment cities briefed the federal secretary about decisions of the previous meetings in addition to identification of major irritants.

They said the first garment city would be established near the industrial belt of Khurrianwala. The remaining two would be set up in other parts of the city where small and middle entrepreneurs would be accommodated, enabling them to increase garment exports.