ISLAMABAD: The country’s non-textile industries could lose export orders worth over $410 million in case the local administration does not ease the Covid-19 lockdown, Sialkot-based exporters warned the federal government on Monday.

Amid fears of order cancellation, a delegation from Sialkot met with Advisor to the Prime Minister on Commerce Razak Dawood for resumption of production.

Sialkot is completely locked down since March 22. The export orders were received from international buyers for surgical instruments, sports goods, leather garments, and gloves. There are some readymade garments factories in Sialkot which also received orders.

Talking to Dawn following the meeting, President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Malik Muhammad Ashraf said the exporters came to Islamabad with their grievances as the local administration was not listening to their woes.

So far, he said, all these orders are intact.

Sialkot industries have received calls from international buyers for assurance of timely deliveries of these orders else the same will be diverted to other destinations, he explained.

Mr Ashraf said the Ministry of Commerce was informed that industries have sufficient raw materials to meet the orders. “The only problem is the local administration which is not allowing workers to reach factories and resume operations,” the SCCI president said.

“We are ready to fulfill the standard operating procedures of the Punjab government,” he assured, stressing that these orders need to be delivered to the buyers between April-June.

“In case these orders are delayed or cancelled, there are fears that we will not receive any orders from international buyers for the next fiscal year,” Ashraf added.

In the meeting, Secretary Commerce Ahmad Sukhera assured the delegation of early resolution of their problems by taking up these issues during the meeting of National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) of the National Coordination Committee.

The NCOC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday.

An official announcement of the Commerce Division said the Sialkot businessmen delegation was informed of measures adopted by the government to resolve issues of export-oriented industry during the pandemic.

However, contrary to this claim, the commerce ministry’s focus is on releasing refunds and export rebate to the textile and clothing sectors.

During the meeting, the delegation informed the Commerce Division about the issues faced by the business community in Sialkot.

Published in Dawn, April 14th, 2020