Lahore - Chairman Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association Usman Jawaad has urged the government not to merge Ministry of Textile Industry with any other ministry because it will damage the textile sector of Pakistan. In a letter written to Prime Minister of Pakistan, he demanded him that any such move by vested interests should be snubbed with full political force.
Usman Jawaad went on to saying that a separate Ministry of Textile Industry (MINTEX) was established after years long demand and persuasion / struggle of the textile sector, keeping in view the quantum and significance of this industry as well as its contribution towards GDP, national economy, export earnings and the employment it is providing to the largest number of workers. He told that many other countries, including our neighbor India have a separate Textile Ministry.
Chairman PHMA had very strong feeling that MINTEX is not being given required powers and authorities necessary for effective implementation of textile specific government policies. In spite of all this, it has proved so far to be instrumental in creating conducive environment for promotion and development of textile sector, including giving a direction in the form of 2 very effective Textile Policies. For this the Textile Ministry should be given credit. The stakeholders in the textile sector fear that vested interests are actively working against the existence of MINTEX but they are eyeing on the Prime Minister to safeguard their interests and to save MINTEX from ill intensions of the elements with vested motives. Textile Industry hopes and expects from the government that any move of the merger of MINTEX with other Ministry should be dealt through strong political resentment and the textile sector should be saved from evil designs of anti-industry elements.
