Islamabad: The Minister of Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan, said Friday that the Government is finishing a five -year textile and clothing policy aimed at making the sector competitive regionally, eliminating commercial barriers and guaranteeing the sustainable growth of exports.
He added that a national industrial policy was also in the process of strengthening the long -term export perspectives and positioning the Pakistan manufacturing sector for global integration. Both initiatives are designed to improve competitiveness and address long data inefficiencies.
The minister spoke at a meeting with leading industrialists, including the CEO of Kohinor Mills, Aamir Fayyaz Sheikh, the president of Aptma, Kamran Arshad, the CEO of Fazal Lath, Rehman Naseem and the executive director of Aptma Shahid Sattar. The special assistant of the Prime Minister on Industrias and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan also attended.
According to an official statement, the Minister of Commerce said that textiles and clothing policy will focus on reducing manufacturing costs, improving productivity, promoting research and development, diversifying markets and products and increasing Pakistan’s participation in global trade.
He stressed that export growth must be the priority of Pakistan and the interested parties assured that politics decisions would be taken in consultation with industry representatives. For the first time, he said, the government and industry were aligned in their determination to revive and expand exports.
Jam also welcomed Aptma’s proposal to study the policies of regional competitors. Sharing ideas from his recent visit to Dhaka, he pointed out Bangladesh’s success in industrial growth and exports of readjaded clothing.
The special assistant Haroon Akhtar said that national industrial policy would go beyond some sectors to cover the entire industrial landscape. It would address energy, tariffs and taxes, financing and economic zones, while facilitating Greenfield projects, introducing land lease models under public-private associations and establishing an installation of an investor window.
He added that, under the vision of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the new policy would inject impulse into industrial growth throughout the country.
Industry concerns
The APTMA delegation urged the Government to eliminate structural inefficiencies and create an enabling environment to boost the competitiveness of the export sectors.
The meeting concluded with a note of optimism, with both parties expressing confidence in increasing exports through the support of sustainable policies and collaboration efforts.
Posted in Dawn, August 30, 2025
