ISLAMABAD, April 25: The government on Friday constituted a task force led by the commerce minister for timely resolution of problems likely to be faced by the exporters in the post-2004 quota-free regime.

A decision to this effect was taken here at a meeting, presided over by Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan and attended by leading exporters.

The task force would be represented by ministries of interior, labour and environment, Central Board of Revenue, trade bodies and various business associations.

The textile exporters have earlier been lobbying for the establishment of Pakistan Compliance Board for providing guidance to the exporters on compliance security and social performance laws of the big markets like the European Union and the US.

They believed that they could face problems not only in the post-quota period but even in the past the EU and US have been imposing various restriction in the garb of child labour and wage laws, treatment plants and packing of exports that badly affected Pakistani exports.

The textile exporters have been demanding that a centralised body should be formed that could guide the exporters in meeting the standards of those markets.

The commerce ministry, however, believed that a permanent body or compliance board would raise the questions of its legal status and would take time to materialise.

The minister, thus, agreed to constitute the task force, which did not require any legal formalities and could meet any time.

An official statement said the task force would periodically review the emerging issues and resolve problems of the exporters, particularly in quota-free era after 2005, in coordination with respective federal and provincial government departments and agencies.

The participants of the meeting were briefed about the hiccups and hindrances, which Pakistani exports may face in quota-free regime.

The minister assured the exporters that he would look into their problems and leave no stone unturned to solve their problems.

He stressed the need for a coordinated approach in this connection and said, “it is the need of the hour that various public and private departments and agencies coordinate with each other to improve competitiveness and acceptability of our products in foreign markets.”