The Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA) has urged the government to revise its present Textile Policy and introduce a separate five-year ‘Apparel Policy’, to detach the garment sector from textiles and grant it independent status.

PRGMEA made this proposal on the verge of expiration of Pakistan’s GSP Plus status and the emergence of new opportunities as mentioned in US International Trade Commission’s (USITC) forthcoming report on the competitiveness of Pakistan’s apparel industry.

Emphasising on the significance of this move, Mubashar Naseer Butt, Central Chairman, PRGMEA noted its potential to boost apparel exports from Pakistan, especially considering the rise in apparel imports by the US from the country. Butt emphasised on the need for aligning the sector with global standards, as evident in the EU’s singular demand for apparel products over raw materials or fabrics.

Replying to a recent query on Pakistan’s exports mainly comprising raw materials instead of finished products, Butt highlighted. Pakistan’s robust textile industry encompasses a comprehensive industrial chain from raw cotton to garment manufacturing. It is important to present a compelling case before the USITC to pave the way for enhanced apparel exports, he said 

Butt proposed the establishment of a federal-level Apparel Council to formulate sector-specific policies, essential for sustaining textile exports. Emphasising on the divergent challenges faced by the garment sector, he also highlighted its labor-intensive nature and significant employment generation capacity compared to the textile industry.