Pakistan exploring PTA prospects to boost garment exports
Fibre2Fashion
Pakistan exploring PTA prospects to boost garment exports
5 November 2011
Eyeing to boost its garment and other textile items exports, the Government of Pakistan is exploring the prospects of Preferential Trade Agreements (PTAs) with various countries.
The Commerce Ministry has informed the Senate that efforts to explore the feasibility of PTAs and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Singapore, Brunei and Indonesia are already on.
The Senate was informed that several exhibitions including those for readymade garments and textiles are being held at national and international level in order to promote Pakistani goods and to earn a better market access by seeking meaningful participation of domestic as well as international buyers.
It was revealed that the Textile Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) participated in 11 international textile and textile related items’ trade fairs till September this year, and proposes to partake in 12 more such events in the coming months.
Through the year till September 2011, TDAP organized six trade fairs for Pakistani trade delegations in Malaysia, China, Indonesia and Tajikistan.
The Ministry added that Pakistan’s relations with India have improved and the latter has pledged its support to Pakistan’s efforts to gain greater access to the EU market.
It was also stated that the Government has prioritized and developed a skill development plan to address the issue of lack of skilled human resource in the country and to ensure enhanced compatibility with new technology.
In this context, the Ministry stated that TDAP also organizes periodical training programmes and workshops for the purpose. TDAP has been organizing workshops every year in Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad and Karachi, in association with CPI (Centre for Promotion of Imports), Netherlands.
These workshops are mainly aimed at generating awareness about market aptitude and surveying the EU’s home textiles and garment market.
The Ministry said the Government was also exerting to increase its trade volumes with different countries. On China, it said, the country has been an all-time friend of Pakistan and meetings are going on at different levels to boost the trade volume between the two nations.
