Gas supply to zero-rated export industries in Pakistan has been restored.The move has enhanced the confidence of the business community. Erratic gas supply had adversely affected textile production. Continued energy supply is necessary for producing an exportable surplus.

In Pakistan the value-added textile sector is the main engine of growth and so a continued energy supply is the need of the hour. The country’s textile industry has a 57 per cent share in exports and 8.5 per cent share in gross domestic product. The textile sector has the largest share in Pakistan’s exports.

Now the industry wants tax refunds to be released. Blocked refunds cause trouble for textile exporters, making them unable to cater to their export markets. They want pragmatic to be framed in consultation with stakeholders in a bid to reduce the cost of doing business by fixing prices of inputs in line with competing countries in order to create a level playing field.

Countries in the region are rapidly multiplying their exports because of the edge they have in the cost of doing business. While China’s share in global textile exports is 36 per cent, Vietnam contributes 12.4 per cent, and Pakistan seven per cent.