Federal Textile Minister Makhdom Shahabuddin appreciated robust growth shown by the textile sector despite various constraints and promised to address them on priority within the fiscal space available with the government. He was addressing the members of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) after dispatching food relief trucks arranged by APTMA to the flood affected regions of Sindh.
He said the government needs all assistance from the private sector as it tries to cope with the natural disasters that have hit Pakistan for the second year running. He said planners are taking measures to cope with the unusual floods that are expected to continue for the next 20 years because of the impact of climate change. He claimed that overall performance of the government has been excellent but its economy is still struggling. He said vibrancy in the economy gives hope of better future.
On demand of outgoing APTMA Chairman Gohar Ejaz to lower the interest rates the Makhdom agreed that it would also lower the burden of debt serving of the government. However he said the APTMA would have to convince the federal finance minister in meeting to be arranged next week. He agreed that foreign based technocrats try to impose the policies practiced in developed economies without taking into account the ground realities at home.
