The textile industry is the largest manufacturing industry in Pakistan. Pakistan is the 8th largest exporter of textile commodities in Asia. The textile sector contributes 8.5% to the GDP of Pakistan.
The textile sector that accounts for more than 60 percent of total exports fetched $6 billion from abroad during the five months of the current fiscal year, up around five percent year-on-year, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics.
Adil Bashir, chairman of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) said:
THE TEXTILE SECTOR IS CURRENTLY IN THE MODE OF RAPID EXPANSION TO CATER WITH INCREASED ORDERS AND DEMANDS. “EXPORTS ORDERS FOR NEXT 6 MONTHS ARE BOOKED AND DESPITE COVID OUR EXPORTS HAVE INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY COMPARED TO OUR REGIONAL COMPETITORS WHOSE EXPORTS HAVE SHRUNK,” BASHIR SAID IN A STATEMENT.
Pakistan has to import five million bales (of 225 kilograms each), which comes equal to the estimated local production of eight million bales (of 150 kilograms each) this year, imports are estimated to cost around $1.8 billion.