STAFF REPORT
The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) said that more than 70 textile units have been closed down due to the failure the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP)’s policies.
Vice President of FPCCI, Riaz Khattak, has said that textiles exports declined due to the appointment of incompetent export managers in TDAP who kept deviating from the facts and figures in front of the Prime Minister.
He appealed to the government to replace the incompetent team heading TDAP with professionals to boost exports and protect the Pakistani textile manufacturing sector. Pakistan exports have declined $ 4.2 billion, down from $ 25 billion in FY 2013-14 to $ 20.8 billion in FY2015-16.
In three years, he said, Bangladesh exports have increased to $ 35 billion dollars.
TDAP is the main body for the organization of international trade exhibitions and expos in Pakistan and around the world to explore new markets for local products, he said, adding that the poor performance of TDAP was a reflection of its incumbent TDAP chief executive S M Munir’s lack of vision or experience to handle such a crisis.
He urged the prime minister to remove the chief executive officer of TDAP for his poor performance. Performance of TDAP under S M Munir has nosedived, he said. At a time when exports are facing tough competition from regional countries, the role of TDAP is crucial to revive exports and a strong leader is required to steer the country’s exports out of crisis, Khattak said.
He said the CEO TDAP had been unsuccessful in achieving synergy in development of exports. S M Muneer has become head of TDAP only to interfere in FPCCI affairs, and, at present, he was interfering in its upcoming elections to win support for his United Business Group.
Khattak said last year Islamabad High Court issued a stay order barring the TDAP Chief Executive from interfering in the politics of FPCCI. This year, he was interfering in elections again.
The FPCCI elections are scheduled to be held in December.