All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has applauded the first-ever National Textile Policy announced by the government and appreciated the efforts made by the President, Prime Minister, Finance Minister and the Textile Minister. Chairman Aptma Tariq Mehmood also appreciated the role played by the Federal Textile Minister Rana Farooq Saeed, Secretary Dr Waqar Masood and his team in ensuring a balanced relief to the entire textile value-added chain of Pakistan textile.

This long awaited Textile Policy is well researched, outlines the major challenges and proposes befitting measures for stabilization, revival and growth of the Textile Industry of Pakistan. Most importantly, Pakistan not only has well defined and dynamic policy for next five years, and in for the first time focus has been developed on the utilization of women work force and domestic commerce which should be immensely useful for the growth of the industry.

A rightful direction has been established through the creation of Textile Investment Support and Technology Upgradation Funds. It manifests government's vision and intention to harness the full potential of the textile industry of Pakistan. Our textile industry is greatly handicapped by not having duty free market access to the main textile importing blocks like European Union and United States of America. Government's resolve, expressed in this policy, to focus attention in these key destinations is a source of satisfaction for the entrepreneurs.

Chairman APTMA thanked the Textile Ministry for extending the Long Term Finance Facility (LTFF) to spinning sector. This measure would prove an immense relief. Spinning sector with huge investments is an important link of the value chain of textile industry and if revived would go a long way to boost exports of all textile products.