Separate textile ministry urged

KARACHI: Calling the merger of commerce and textile divisions as counterproductive, value-added textiles on Monday demanded a dedicated, independent, and authorised textile ministry so that this subsector could contribute to the revival of economy by tipping the trade balance in Pakistan’s favour.

“It is an irony the government, without consulting the genuine stakeholders - the value added textile sector, merged the two divisions…,” said industry officials in a joint statement.

The federal cabinet lately gave a go-ahead to this merger in view of the recommendations made by Dr Ishrat Hussain, Prime Minister's Advisor on Restructuring and Austerity. The move did not go down well with textile sector that had been demanding for a separate ministry for a long time.