SIALKOT, Oct 17: The Punjab government will soon establish a garments training institution and a textile laboratory in Sialkot under the supervision of Tevta for providing trained and skilled labour to the garments industry.

Punjab industries and investment minister Ajmal Cheema told newsmen here on Monday the establishment of a garments training institution and a textile laboratory would be helpful in solving the business community’s problems at the local level, besides ensuring timely provision of the latest trade and export information to the businessmen.

He said the provision of middle management and trained and skilled labour was vital for expanding the garments industry for providing maximum job opportunities to the labour.

He said there was a great scope for ‘skilled women labour force’ in the garments industry. The well-trained and skilled labour would only be the survival point of the garments in future, he said.

The minister said the early establishment of garments training institution and an international standard textile laboratory in Sialkot was the need of the hour and vital for producing trained and skilled labour force.

He said the government would make all-out efforts to boost the garments industry. He urged the exporters to focus on enhancing the exports of value-added garments, besides preparing themselves to meet the global challenges of WTO through increasing the quality of exportable goods by changing the old trade strategies.

PRGMEA: Pakistan Ready-made Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) chairman Ijaz Khokhar has urged the government to arrange maximum ‘single country exhibitions’ abroad besides ensuring exchanges of trade delegations for enhancing exports.