KARACHI, July 18: Pakistan Bedwear Exporters’ Association (PBEA) chairman Shabir Ahmed has urged Commerce Minister Abdul Razak Dawood to allow import of second-hand boilers in the forthcoming trade policy.

In a statement, the PBEA chairman said the commerce minister had already assured the Advisory Council members in its 53th meeting that second-hand boilers import would be allowed in the new trade policy.

“Once again we request the commerce minister to include and allow import of second hand boilers in the forthcoming trade policy as it is urgently needed to boost the production of value added textile products.”

He said a large number of weaving, processing and stitching units were being established to take advantage of phasing out of textile quota by the year 2005.

Shabir Ahmed further said that locally manufactured boilers were very expensive and cost about Rs3 million, whereas second-hand imported boilers would cost less then Rs1 million.

Hence, in the processing unit, he said, at least two boilers were required and by not allowing the import, the funds of the processors would be blocked and they would not be able to finance their raw material products.