The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) acting Chairman Shahid Mazhar has said that the constant rise in import of man-made fibres (MMF) yarns including polyester, viscos and acrylic and fabrics in the domestic market are making an adverse impact on the country’s local textile industry. He said that the competitors of Pakistan textile industry such as China and India are at advantage since they are producing MMF yarns and fabrics at comparatively lower energy cost.

He said that the import of MMF yarns has surged to 72,300 tons in 2014-15 against 47,700 tons in 2012-13. Similarly, the import of fabric made from MMF yarns has also reached to 5,62,000 sq. meters in 2014-15 against 1,80,000 sq. meters in 2012-13.

Chairman of the association further added that the government has not levied 10 per cent regulatory duty on the dumped and subsidised MMF yarns and fabrics in order to protect the domestic industry. He urged the government to safeguard the domestic industry and save the jobs and exports of local MMF yarns and fabrics producing textile mills by imposing regulatory duty on the import of MMF yarns and fabrics immediately along with announcement of the textile package without further delay to save the domestic textile industry.

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