LAHORE – After concerted effort on the part of Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani, the Uzbeki government has agreed to provide one million cotton bales to Pakistan up to June 30, 2011.
All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Chairman Gohar Ejaz noted that the Uzbeki government has agreed Pakistan government to provide up to one million cotton bales to Pakistan on purely business terms. According to him, no such import of cotton has ever taken place from Uzbekistan to Pakistan over the last 10 years. China was a major importer besides international buyers of Uzbek cotton fulfilling 80 percent advance payment in cash.
However, the Uzbek government has amended this law for Pakistan and the condition of advance cash has been withdrawn. Furthermore, he said, the Uzbek index was higher than A index and the Uzbek government has agreed to provide cotton on A index. Gohar, besides Minister for Privatisation Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Food and Agriculture Israrullah Zehri and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, was part of a delegation to Uzbekistan lead by the prime minister.
Gohar said the Prime Minister Gilani has become hero of textile industry by resolving the cotton shortage issue through holding successful negotiations with his Uzbek counterpart Shavket Mirziyayev and Uzbek President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov. Accordng to him, Pakistan was short of one million cotton bales due to the non-availability of cotton from traditional suppliers like India and the US.
He noted that Pakistan would be for the first time importing cotton from Uzbekistan and acknowledged all credit was due to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani. He claimed he had informed the PM that it was not possible for Pakistani importers to pay 80 percent cash as advance payment as per Uzbek requirements. He said that PM Gilani took up the issue with his Uzbek counterpart and secured a waiver to this condition while the Uzbek government agreed to waive it of for Pakistan.
