LAHORE
The textile industry in Pakistan is a very strong sector with huge potential to grow and cooperation should be enhanced between France and Pakistan for mutual benefit in this regard. France Embassy Head of the Economics Department Marc Murcia said this during his visit to All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Punjab on Wednesday.
APTMA Punjab Chairman Shahzad Ali Khan welcomed him at the APTMA Punjab office. APTMA Punjab Senior Vice Chairman Mian Mahmood Ahsan, SM Imran and other executive committee members were also present on the occasion. The visiting French envoy appreciated the APTMA efforts towards country perception, image building and increase in textile exports to the world. Head of International Trade Committee Amir Fayyaz made a detailed presentation on APTMA.
He said APTMA was established in 1957 and number of members has reached to 395 today. Sustainable Production Centre, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Initiative, Cotton Research, Support and Management, Textile Education and Better Cotton Initiative are a few major steps taken by APTMA recently in the larger interest of its members, he added. The APTMA Punjab chairman said market access constraint is hampering growth of textile in Pakistan.
He expressed the hope that the proposed market access under the GSP plus would create many jobs in Pakistan. He said the textile industry is the largest employer in Pakistan but sharp decline in exports to Europe and in particular France is a matter of grave concern for industry. Highlighting the APTMA-EU joint initiatives, he said image building of Pakistan is a challenge for textile industry before getting a big share in total textile imports of EU.
He said the APTMA has planned to hold road shows in different countries of Europe and invite top management of international brands to it. Also, he said, a delegation of EU trade councilors will be visiting APTMA in near future to have clear understanding of textile industry in Pakistan. The APTMA Punjab chairman said the APTMA members travel to Europe frequently. He urged the French envoy to ensure easier visa facility for APTMA members to increase bilateral trade between the two countries. (Source: Daily Times)