News
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Pakistan needs increased trade with US: Taseer* Punjab governor says US has strategic interest in Pakistan
* Cotton and textile industry most important for country
Staff Report
LAHORE: Pakistan has a mere two percent share in US imports, which needs to be increased, said Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer on Monday.
“When we say we need trade we are not begging because it is what every country is doing and demanding: free market access,” Taseer said while addressing a dinner reception hosted in honour of the newly-elected All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) chairman at the residence of Business Council Chairman Jawed Iqbal.
Federal Textile Minister Rana Muhammad Farooq Saeed, American Consul General Cormela Corney, Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Shahzad Ahmed, former Punjab governor Khalid Maqbool, Shahid Ali Khan, APTMA office-bearers and a large number of businessmen attended the ceremony.
The governor lamented that when the US needed Pakistan’s support, top American officials would visit the country, but sanctions were slapped on the country when its help was not needed. He said US had strategic interests in Pakistan and the country needed enhancement of trade with it. Taseer said that around 50 percent of the country’s population was associated with the textile industry and there was nothing more important than the cotton and textile industry. Federal textile minister said a meeting had been called on 13 of this month in Islamabad to discuss the problem faced by the textile industry. All stakeholders will be called in the meeting.
Earlier, APTMA Chairman Gohar Ejaz asked the governor and federal textile minister to exempt the textile industry from load shedding. He observed that from growers to finished product the textile industry earned $25 billion through exports, and it was providing employment to 80 million people of the country.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk