Govt to act upon rulings of SC: PM

Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has said the government would act upon the rulings of the Supreme Court (SC), adding there was no threat of clash among the institutions.
Talking to newsmen after addressing the launching of sale of plots at the Pakistan Textile City –Karachi PM said
That there is no clash between government and judiciary; the parliament, govt and judiciary are all working within their limitations. He said that the government respects the Supreme Court and we would not allow democracy to be derailed.
He said the stability and peace in the metropolis was in the best interest of the country.
Earlier addressing the ceremony PM said that the government recognizes the pivotal role of the textile sector plays in Pakistan’s economy.
“As the largest industry, it constitutes about sixty percent of our exports and provides jobs to more than fourteen percent of the workforce”, he said.
Removal of the quota system by WTO opened business opportunities for the global textile sector, he said, adding that, regional textile exporting countries like China, India and Bangladesh increased their market shares significantly, while Pakistan has yet to capitalize on these opportunities. We are blessed with natural resources, cotton crop, unique geo-political location, a rich history of quality textile products and a large labour force to place ourselves as a global leader, in this sector, Gilani said. Problems facing our industry include supply of cheap contamination-free cotton, low skill levels of labour force, power shortages and above all inadequate infrastructure, he said.
Infrastructure development, he said, therefore, is critical for growth and acts as a catalyst for generating economic activity. The absence of reliable infrastructure offering un-interrupted utilities has been one of the major causes of decline in textile exports, especially value-added items in the post-WTO era. It is imperative to offer the textile sector modern reliable infrastructure at par with international standards, Gilani said. Pakistan Textile City is being established as a bench-mark industrial zone providing state-of-the-art infrastructure to the value-added textile sectors, he added.
“Once fully operational, it would help increase our exports significantly as more than 277 new units will be established in 1250 acres of the Textile City, he added. Moreover, Pakistan Textile City would provide an ideal synergistic environment to local players in the industry to join hands with international partners for establishing joint ventures and benefit from the strategically located facilities at Port Qasim, he said.
Some of the direct impacts of the Textile City on our economy will be direct employment to over 80,000 people at full capacity; Investment of around US $ 250 million in the value added textile sector and Increase in exports of over US $ 3 billion per annum, Gilani claimed. He added that the indirect benefits would generation of additional demand for cotton, yarn and cloth, increased demand for cement, steel and construction material, increased revenue from movement of goods and transport activities and creation of a large number of indirect jobs during the construction stage. We realize that we need to create an investor-friendly environment to encourage economic development, with special focus on skill development, productivity, quality assurance and compliance needs, he said.
Today, market shares depend greatly on price and quality advantages driven by efficiency, he added. Pakistan Textile City, the Premier said, will alow entrepreneurs to focus on developing skills in manufacturing and marketing of their quality products and they will not have to worry about matters such as water supply, power outages and security.
“Pakistan must take full advantage of the opportunities that are available. We have ample labor force. What we need is investment in developing our marketing abilities and enhancement of skills of our labor force. In today’s competitive world, great emphasis is placed on human resource development. Simultaneously, we need to improve the quality of products, business practices and corporate governance”, he added.
While the government is responding to the demands of the textile industry by providing relief packages, the industry, in turn, must respond by assuring the implementation of quality standards and good business practices so that the benefits are not short but long term, he said.
He invited the textile community of Pakistani businessmen and investors to come forward and avail the world class infrastructure facilities which the Textile City is offering. It is our combined duty to be part of Pakistan’s march towards becoming a hub of quality textile products, he said.