All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Chairman SM Tanveer said on Wednesday that he was hopeful that government would address textile industry’s concerns by offering a comprehensive relief package.
Addressing a press conference at the Punjab APTMA office along with Punjab APTMA Chairman Seth Muhammad Akbar, Ali Pervez and Anjum Zafar, he repudiated media reports suggesting that the prime minister rejected any of APTMA demands.
“The PM held an hour long interactive session with APTMA and took interest in our presentation,” he added.
He said the APTMA has put forward 10 demands, which included withdrawal of electricity surcharge, removal of gas infrastructure development cess (GIDC), zero rating of local taxes on textile exports, adding of spinning industry in the long term finance facility (LTFF), three per cent tax on unregistered buyers instead of two per cent, rebate on focus market exports, strengthening of domestic market, duty on import of yarns and fabric, clearance of pending claims by the FBR and direct subsidy to cotton growers and farmers.
SM Tanveer said that he was very hopeful about the outcome of the meeting with the PM, who is likely to announce a relief package for the textile industry soon.
To a question, he said negative propaganda by some individuals against APTMA was meaningless, as the PM showed interest in APTMA presentation because of its issue-oriented approach covering issues and solutions for the entire textile value chain.
“Out of UDS 4 billion exports of value added textile industry, USD 2.5 billion exports are made by the APTMA members,” he said.
In other words, he asserted that APTMA was representing the whole Textile Industry. APTMA presented the case for the restoration of viability of the Textile Industry enabling it to regain access to both international and domestic markets, he maintained.
The competitiveness of the Textile industry would ensure that presently impaired capacities start working, and attract new investments under BMR and green field projects.
