Trade between Pakistan and India should be enhanced and barriers be removed, as both countries are producing more than 40 per cent of global cotton while their textile share in international market is only five per cent. These views were shared between Northern India Textile Mills Association (NITMA) delegation and All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) the other day. Minister for Textile Makhdoom Shahabud Din was also present on the occasion.
NITMA delegation led by its chairman Mukhund Chaudhry shared its views with APTMA officials. APTMA Chairman Mohsin Aziz said that around 40 per cent of cotton in the world is produced by Pakistan and India but their share in global market is only five per cent. He said that it is the need of the hour that the relations between both countries should be improved and they come closer.
NITMA Chairman Mukhund Chaudhry said that his delegation is here to make personal and commercial friends. “We would like to attend and invite friends from Pakistan on the weddings of our children,” he said adding both countries have the capacity to capture global textile industry and they should benefit from each other’s potentials. He said we have also decided that delegations from both sides would visit each other every year. To a question of what Pakistan gained after getting Most-Favourite Nation (MFN) status from India since 1995, he said there have been irritants and better results could not be produced. “Now, we will remove all those irritants,” he added.
To another question of what is the reason of high number of suicides by the farmers in India, he defended the Indian government saying these suicides are not because of government policies rather there are other reasons. “Most of the suicides occurred in Maharashtra, where water availability is an issue and the farmers have to depend upon the rains or other resources. If weather does not favour them then they come under problem,” Mukhund opined. APTMA Former Chairman Gohar Ejaz said that Pakistan’s exports heavily depend upon textile sector. He said there has been tremendous increase in the textile exports in the recent years. He said that Indian and Pakistani foreign ministers and secretaries are talking and it is a good omen. Makhdoom Shahabud Din said there is a need to remove barriers on both sides. He appreciated Indian delegation and APTMA for holding talks and improving relations.
