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More industries to halt operations, warns value-added textile sector

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  • Value-added textile sector warns of job losses. 
  • Says exports have declined sharply. 
  • Around 7 million workers likely to lose jobs. 

KARACHI: Lamenting the current economic crisis, Pakistan’s value-added textile sector feared that more industries would halt their operations, which would increase the number of layoffs, The News reported Tuesday.

Associations representing the value-added textile sector, while speaking during a joint presser, said that other exports have declined sharply along with textiles. They said that it is likely to further decline to the lowest ebb amid dangerously low foreign exchange reserves.

Participants included Value-Added Textile Forum Coordinator and Pakistan Apparel Forum Chairman Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association Chairman Muhammad Babar Khan, PHMA Zonal Chairman Khizer Mehboob, Pakistan Knitwear and Sweater Exporters Association Chairman Rafiq Godil, Pakistan Cloth Merchants Association former chairman Abdul Samad, and chairman of the Towel Manufacturers Association of Pakistan.

They pointed out that industries were compelled to shut down and lay off around 7 million workers, of which 4 million were the textile sector’s workforce.

Raising the matter of letters of credit, the industry representatives said that import of necessary raw materials and accessories with even nominal values such as $5,000 were denied, which dented export orders. This caused severe disruption and delays in completion and even cancellation of export orders.

This situation also led to port demurrage of various consignments, which exceeded the cost of those materials that were damaged and would now be auctioned as they were of no use to export industries.

Recently, textile exporters were also deprived of their remittances to participate in a global textile exhibition scheduled in Germany and barred from sending exhibition materials via an international courier. Participation only became possible after the intervention of the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, which sought special permission from the State Bank of Pakistan for the purpose.

The value-added sector demanded the government to give it first priority instead of third in imports of raw materials compared to the imports of even essentials like wheat and edible oil and energy.

Decrying the delay in the release of sales tax refunds, they asked the government to disburse the amount in 72 hours after approval of eRPOs instead of delaying it for two months.

Industrialists have lost faith in the government because of its failure to strengthen the economy. It was impossible to operate under extreme financial stress and an economic crisis. All priority should be given to the value-added textile exporters, the presser participants demanded. The government should allow exporters to spend 20% of their foreign remittances on the import of raw material and accessories.

SBP has already allowed exporters to retain 10% of their export proceeds in Exporters Special Foreign Currency Account to spend these US dollars on various purpose e.g. foreign consultant payment, hotel booking and travelling, payment for IT equipment and software, lab testing charges, audit/ inspection/ certification charges etc.

Talking about the gas crisis, the industrialists said that amid the gas crisis in the country, particularly in Karachi, they felt deprived of a level playing field and a viable business environment.

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Finance Minister Meets With World Leaders at World Economic Forum in Davos

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During his attendance at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has met with officials of organisations and leaders of many nations.
Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor, Muhammad Younas, met with Mohammad Aurangzeb.
On the fringes of the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2025 Opening Banquet, there was an informal meeting.
Additionally, the Finance Minister met with Anwar Ibrahim, the Prime Minister of Malaysia.
Both leaders discussed economic cooperation and bilateral ties.
Muhammad Aurangzeb also had a meeting with Dp World’s Rizwan Soomro and Yuvraj Narayan.
They talked about how to strengthen Pakistan’s logistics and infrastructure systems to support trade.
“The Pakistani government is committed to advancing joint projects and values partnerships in both business-to-business and business-to-government cooperation,” the finance minister added.

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China will establish a $250 million EV production facility in Pakistan.

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As Islamabad looks to Beijing to work with it to establish industrial zones for the production of electronic vehicles, the media said Wednesday that China’s ADM Group would invest $250 million to establish an electric vehicle manufacturing unit in Pakistan.

With an even more ambitious target of 90 percent by 2040, the Pakistani government established the National Electric Vehicles Policy (NEVP) in 2019 with the goal of having 30 percent of all passenger cars and heavy-duty trucks be electric by 2030.

By 2030, the policy aimed to achieve 50% of new sales for two- and three-wheelers and buses, and by 2040, 90%.

As part of the Special Investment Facilitation Council’s efforts to draw in foreign investment, Radio Pakistan reported that the Chinese company ADM Group had announced an investment of $250 million to establish an EV manufacturing plant in Pakistan.

“The switch to EVs is anticipated to save billions of dollars by reducing the cost of fuel imports.”

More than 3,000 electric vehicle charging stations will be installed throughout Pakistan, a South Asian nation, as part of ADM Group’s $350 million investment in the EV industry last year.

Pakistan announced earlier this month that, as part of its ongoing energy sector reform aimed at increasing demand, it would reduce the power rate for operators of electric vehicle charging stations by 45 percent.

Additionally, financial programs for e-bikes and the conversion of gasoline-powered two- and three-wheeled vehicles are planned by the government.

On January 15, the government approved a lower tariff of 39.70 rupees ($0.14) per unit, which will take effect in a month. The previous tariff was 71.10 rupees.

The government anticipates that investors in the industry will see an internal rate of return of over 20 percent.

There are currently over 30 million two- and three-wheeled cars in Pakistan, and they use more than $5 billion worth of petroleum each year, according to a report that Power Ministry adviser Ammar Habib Khan provided to the government and that was covered by Reuters.

The paper estimates that the ministry will save around $165 million in gasoline import expenses each year by converting 1 million two-wheelers to electric motorcycles in a first phase, at an estimated net cost of 40,000 rupees per bike.

In September, BYD Pakistan, a joint venture between China’s BYD and the Pakistani automaker Mega Motors, informed Reuters that, in accordance with international goals, up to 50% of all vehicles purchased in Pakistan by 2030 will be electrified in some way.

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The government has introduced a comprehensive strategy to enhance industrial investment.

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Authorities are poised to execute an ambitious investment promotion strategy through a collaborative initiative between the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA) and the Pakistan Administrative Staff College, aiming for substantial enhancements in industrial investment and economic development.

The Special Investment Facilitation Center (SIFC) will be instrumental in this transformative drive by establishing “Business Facilitation Centers” aimed at optimizing investment processes and attracting both domestic and foreign capital.

Principal features of the comprehensive plan encompass:

  1. Forming collaborative working groups to augment domestic and international investment prospects
  2. Formulating a comprehensive strategy to eradicate obstacles to industrial development
  3. Formulating a novel model to tackle issues in the execution of industrial projects
  4. Striving to enhance Pakistan’s international business rating by 50 points
    Targeting $20 billion in foreign industrial investments within the next five years.

The approach prioritizes digital transformation to enhance the transparency and efficiency of the investment process. SIFC’s strategy emphasizes fostering a favorable atmosphere for investors by streamlining bureaucratic processes and offering strategic assistance.

National administration officers are conducting ongoing study to identify and mitigate potential investment barriers, while a specialized research group is formulating a comprehensive strategy to solve current hurdles in industrial growth.

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