LAHORE, July 14: Textile spinners have decided to take out a protest rally from Lahore to Islamabad on July 23 if their demands are not met. This was resolved by the spinners at a meeting of the All Pakistan Textile Association (APTA) on Saturday. The APTA has already staged a demonstration outside the Parliament on June 22 to press the government to announce a relief package for the spinning industry.

They said the industry was reeling under the pressures of increased cost of doing business and finding it hard to compete in the international market because of incentives given by regional economies to their respective textile industries.

The resolution adopted at the APTA meeting demanded that the government should bring down the interest rate for the spinning industry to 7.5pc on short- and long-term loans, including leases, abolish 6.5pc duty on the import of polyester staple fibre, allow 25pc discount on all utility bills, and give 5pc research and development subsidy.

“If the demands are not met by the government, we shall take out a rally from Lahore to Islamabad and hold a demonstration outside the presidency,” APTA chairman Adil Mahmood said.