LAHORE - The business community, especially the exporters, has termed the trade policy 2008-2009 as directionless, confused and flawed with their extreme surprise that the import target has not been announced. Talking to The Nation, Ijaz A Khokhar, former chairman, Pakistan Readymade Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association deplored the textile sector was completely ignored in the policy. He said that export target for the next year looked very ambitious and much would depend on the facilitation that government will announce for the textile sector. However, the facilitation granted in the trade policy is likely to further boost the imports. The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry has given a cautious reaction to the Trade Policy terming some measures for SME sector positive but regretted absence of any supportive measure for textile sector-mainstay of Pakistan's exports. Addressing a Press conference, the LCCI President along his Vice President Shafqat Saeed Piracha, former President Shahid Hassan Sheikh, former Vice President Sheikh Mohammad Arshad, Mohammad Ali Mian said that one per cent additional duty Drawback to carpet, sports goods and other smaller sectors shows government will to support exports The LCCI President said that fast increasing imports were destroying the whole economic fabric of the country but unfortunately no import target was fixed in the trade policy. So there is a dire need that the government should review the situation and announce a mechanism to control imports. He demanded of the government to put a ban on import of all the locally manufactured goods. He said that the import of CNG buses from India and other parts of the world is a good step but the government should review its decision to allow 10 years old buses because it would make Pakistan a junkyard of rejected vehicles from India. He was pleasantly surprised that the export target for the year 2007-08 has been achieved in most difficult circumstances. He said that this is a tribute to the untiring efforts of our export sector. He said that the phenomenal increase in non-traditional items has improved. He said that the Chamber stance is that the non traditional sector have high potential for growth. LCCI president said that government decision to promote hilal food would go a long way enhancing the meat export from Pakistan. He said that the potential of hilal food could be judged from the fact that its export from non muslim Thailand is $ 4 billion per year. Regarding hunger strike by the zonal office of FPCCI, Mian Mohammad Ali said that the LCCI was not consulted in this regard adding that every trade body has a right to formulate its policy. He said that during the recent struggle of the industry against certain government decisions, the FPCCI played no role and even in recent meeting with the Federal Finance Minister Naveed Qamar, the heads of different chambers where active and FPCCI did not join the talks. However he added the FPCCI is apex trade body of the country and the chambers do not warn any confrontation with it.