Haroon Akhtar urges focus on finished, value-added export products

ISLAMABAD  –  Advisor to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan has said that Pakistan’s textile industry is a key pillar of the country’s economic identity, adding that the government is giving special focus to production, investment, productivity, industrial competitiveness and export promotion under the National Industrial Policy. He said Pakistan must move rapidly beyond the export of raw materials towards finished and value-added products to enhance the value of Pakistani products in international markets and increase the country’s share in global exports.

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He expressed these views while addressing a function of the All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association (APTPMA) here on Saturday. A large number of office-bearers of the association, businessmen, industrialists and representatives of various sectors associated with the textile industry attended the event. Haroon Akhtar Khan said that Made in Pakistan had already established its presence in international markets, and the need now was to expand that presence and give Pakistani products a stronger identity globally. “Pakistan needs to produce more, produce better and sell more products to the world,” he said, adding that the country’s economic direction must be centred on production, exports and sustainable growth led by the private sector.

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The Prime Minister’s advisor said that the National Industrial Policy was being built around production, investment, productivity and exports.  He said the government’s role was not to run businesses but to create an environment in which entrepreneurs could use their capabilities, capital and experience to establish and expand successful businesses. The government, he added, was working to remove regulatory barriers, facilitate business activity and eliminate unnecessary procedures so that industrialists could focus their time and resources on investment, production, innovation, exports and employment generation rather than permits, complex regulations and unnecessary administrative processes.

He said measures were also being taken to rationalize tariffs and eliminate unnecessary regulations, while the Regulatory Guillotine was being used to remove redundant laws and regulations that created unnecessary burdens for businesses.

Haroon Akhtar Khan said industrialists needed a policy and business environment where decisions were made in a timely manner and unnecessary hurdles did not obstruct the investment process. “Instead of spending time navigating permits and complicated procedures, businesses should be able to focus on investment, innovation, new product development, improving productivity and accessing global markets,” he said. He said the government remained in continuous engagement with industry and the business community to address their concerns and remove obstacles to industrial growth.

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The Prime Minister’s advisor said Pakistan’s textile industry could no longer rely solely on low costs to compete in global markets. Quality, modern technology, design, sustainability, innovation and timely delivery must become integral components of its competitiveness strategy. He said the preferences of global buyers were changing and price was no longer the only decisive factor. Quality, sustainability, product traceability, modern designs, environmental standards and delivery timelines had become increasingly important factors in international trade.

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He said Pakistan possessed a complete and integrated textile ecosystem, ranging from cotton production to yarn, fabric, processing, finished garments and other textile products. However, the real challenge was to generate greater value from this existing ecosystem and align it with modern global requirements.

“Pakistan must not only export cotton, yarn and other basic products but also develop products incorporating greater labour, technology, design and brand value so that Pakistani products command higher prices in international markets and generate greater foreign exchange earnings for the country,” he said. He said Pakistan must move beyond being merely a supplier to international brands and develop its own Pakistani brands. “When Pakistani cotton reaches international markets, it should carry with it Pakistani technology, design, manufacturing and brand value as well,” he said. The PM’s advisor said competitive energy prices, taxation, refunds, financing and trade facilitation were among the major concerns of the industrial sector and the government was taking measures to address them. “Capital goes where there is confidence, and investment takes place where there is policy continuity,” he said.

He said policy continuity was fundamental to industrial development and the government was working to provide the business community with an environment conducive to long-term planning and investment.

The PM’s Advisor said changes in global supply chains were creating both challenges and new opportunities for Pakistan. The restructuring of global supply chains was creating space for countries capable of ensuring quality, competitive pricing, timely delivery and sustainable production.

Pakistan, he said, needed to further improve its productive capacity, industrial technology and export infrastructure to benefit from these emerging opportunities. He reiterated that global buyers now considered not only price but also quality, sustainability, product traceability and speed. Pakistan’s textile industry would have to understand these changing requirements and accordingly shape its production and export strategies.

For this purpose, he said, investment in modern technology, environmentally sustainable production methods, improved quality, contemporary designs and skilled human resources was essential. Haroon Akhtar Khan said Pakistan’s next textile revolution should be based on productivity, technology and value addition. “Simply increasing the volume of production is not enough. We must make our production processes more efficient, modern and competitive,” he said. He added that Pakistan needed a coordinated strategy to enhance the identity and value of its products in international markets. He said Pakistan’s industrial objective should be more investment, more production, more value addition and more exports.

He said stronger engagement and cooperation between the government and industry could help transform Pakistan into a stronger industrial and export-oriented economy. He said Pakistan’s textile industry possessed immense potential and its global competitiveness could be further enhanced through greater focus on investment, technology, skilled human resources, research, branding and policy continuity. “Let us work together to build Pakistan’s industrial future and further elevate the standing of Made in Pakistan in the world.”

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