The early easing of export restrictions by Pakistan has helped the country attract companies such as Guess, Hugo Boss, Target Corp, and Hanesbrands to the South Asian nation. Pakistan has been making face masks and PPE gear for export ever since India and Bangladesh announced lockdown curbs in March. The country bagged some orders from companies looking to diversify their supply chains amid the trade war between the US and China, the world’s top textile exporter, despite factories there reopening as early as April.

Nishat Mills and Interloop one of the world’s largest manufacturers of socks bagged orders diverted to them from China. Similarly, Gadoon Textile Mills has received orders redirected from Bangladesh and India. The Pakistan government is targeting a growth of 2.1 per cent in the current financial year. However, measures announced to contain the second wave of COVID-19 may hamper this growth.