FAISALABAD, Oct 7: Exports from Pakistan are gaining momentum following the lifting of sanctions by the US.

Pakistani government and media, however, must pool their energies to counter the propaganda unleashed by India in wake of recent war against terrorists.

This was stated by All Pakistan Cloth Exporters Association (APCEA) chairman Mian Muhammad Latif while speaking at a press conference here.

Rejecting reports about delay in export consignments as baseless, he claimed the country’s exports were on the right track.

The Indian propaganda to declare Pakistan an unsafe country, with uncertainty of shipments, disruption of industrial activity and safety of foreigners and property, had created problems for exporters in gaining new contracts from the foreign buyers, he added.

APCEA chief said a bumper cotton crop was expected this year. “The textile industry, duly supported by the Pakistan government, has already touched exports target of $9.20 billion in the preceding year”, he added.

“We are now expecting the target of $10 billion this year”. However, we must counter this malicious propaganda to achieve this target.

The shipping companies, he said, were unduly increasing their freights by adding war risk surcharge to export deliveries and the insurance companies were also unjustly charging war risk charges from their clients, leaving Pakistan in straits.

Mian Latif apprehended these measures were unnecessarily adding to the cost of production which would eventually make country’s products far from competitive in the international markets. He urged the government to activate foreign missions to present the true picture before the buyers and assured that the country and national industry were fully prepared to honour their international commitments.

Assuring full support on behalf of the business and industrial community, he reiterated that government’s policies were highly conducive to the growth and development of trade and industry. The business community must prepare itself to play a more vibrant role in stabilizing national economy as the US and other European countries had removed sanctions.

The chairman was all praise for the government which, according to him, had sent a textile delegation headed by the commerce minister to the USA to negotiate with the textile exports.

He also hailed the contributions made by the CBR chairman in cultivating best possible relationship with the trade and industry and hoped that the CBR would continue to consolidate the gains in the field of textile industry by protecting its legitimate interests.

He demanded that deduction of duty drawbacks might be deferred till Dec 31, 2001, and immediate payment of pending Sales Tax and Duty Drawback claims.