Businessmen Group of APTMA led by Dr Gohar Ejaz, Patron-in-Chief, swept Annual Elections of 2021-22 unopposed for the 13th consecutive year. Mr. Rahim Nasir (Ayesha Spinning Mills) has been nominated as Chairman designate.
When Dr. Ejaz first started managing APTMA affairs, textile exports were stagnant at the US $10 billion owing to energy shortage, which was successfully negotiated, and then later energy prices, which were much higher than competing countries. These were rationalized with the commitment of the PTI government as Regionally Competitive Energy Tariffs through the efforts of Dr. Ejaz.
This has led to the exemplary performance of an increase of USD $ 3 billion in textile exports during FY2021 while substantial textile-related new investments of USD $ 4 billion have also been made. In the same period, other competing countries have shown a significant decline in exports.
Read more: Razaq Dawood hopeful that Pakistan’s exports will reach $50bn
The growth in exports has been phenomenal: exports grew 22% last year and 17% in July’21 and Dr. Ejaz’s relentless efforts have put the country on a trajectory to reach textile exports of USD $ 21 billion by June’22.
Pakistan to see a revival of cotton crop
Dr. Ejaz has now been tasked to revive the cotton crop in Pakistan. APTMA Cotton Foundation – a flagship project is working towards the revival of the cotton crop through multiple innovative initiatives.
Current boom in the textile sector despite COVID crisis is all credited to him. He has been leading the sector and taking the industry with him towards Pakistan’s export-led sustainable economic growth.@Gohar_Ejaz1 @razak_dawood @ChMSarwar @aliya_hamza @sattars @GovtofPunjabPK
— All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (@APTMAofficial) August 7, 2021
Pakistan has been facing a cotton crisis. Pakistan spent $1.838 billion on cotton imports during nine months of the current fiscal year (9MFY21) which is a 46% increase from $1.258bn recorded last year.
Read more: Pakistan’s cotton sector: innovation and investment
Sustainable export-led economic growth is imperative for the development of a competitive and dynamic private sector to create jobs for a young and rapidly growing labor force and for Pakistan to attain upper-middle-income status by its centenary.
In the face of fiscal constraints and the COVID-19 pandemic, the upward momentum in exports is a beacon of hope for a better and sustainable economic future.