ISLAMABAD, MAR 11 /DNA/ – Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, met today with a delegation of leading textile and apparel exporters and industry stakeholders led by Mr. Haroon Sharif, Chairman of the Pakistan Regional Economic Forum, to discuss measures aimed at strengthening export competitiveness, facilitating investment, and supporting industrial growth.
During the meeting, the Finance Minister emphasized that strengthening export-led sectors remains central to Pakistan’s economic revival strategy. He noted that enhancing productivity, encouraging innovation, and improving global competitiveness of Pakistan’s key industries are critical to expanding exports, creating employment opportunities, and sustaining long-term economic growth.
The Minister reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to maintaining close engagement with industry stakeholders to ensure that economic policies remain responsive to the needs of the business community while supporting sustainable and inclusive growth. He observed that policy frameworks are being continuously refined to promote investment, facilitate reinvestment by established exporters, and remove procedural bottlenecks that hinder industrial expansion, while maintaining fiscal discipline and macroeconomic stability.
Highlighting the importance of strengthening Pakistan’s competitive sectors, the Finance Minister stated that the Government recognizes the strategic role of export-oriented industries in driving economic activity and expanding the country’s presence in international markets. He emphasized that creating an enabling environment for exporters through improved policy coordination, regulatory facilitation, and investment promotion remains a key priority.
The Finance Minister also underscored the importance of modernization, technological upgradation, and value addition in strengthening Pakistan’s export competitiveness. He encouraged industry leaders to pursue innovation, adopt new technologies, and expand into higher-value market segments in order to capitalize on emerging opportunities in global supply chains.
Welcoming the delegation, the Finance Minister appreciated the Pakistan Regional Economic Forum’s continued engagement in promoting Pakistan’s most competitive economic sectors and acknowledged the business community’s contribution to export expansion, employment generation, and industrial development.
The delegation briefed the Finance Minister on the Forum’s initiatives aimed at promoting joint ventures, attracting foreign investment partnerships, and strengthening technology collaboration across priority industrial sectors. Participants emphasized the importance of aligning fiscal and regulatory policies with Pakistan’s competitive strengths in order to accelerate export-led growth and enhance industrial productivity.
Industry representatives highlighted the strategic importance of strengthening the competitiveness of key export sectors, particularly value-added textiles, which account for a significant share of Pakistan’s export earnings. They noted that value-added segments require focused policy attention and targeted support in light of evolving global market dynamics and increasing regional competition.
The delegation also emphasized the importance of maintaining a streamlined and growth-oriented taxation and compliance framework that facilitates reinvestment, business expansion, and ease of doing business. Participants stressed the need for policies that encourage modernization through technology adoption and digital transformation, while addressing structural bottlenecks that affect industrial efficiency and export competitiveness.
Business leaders further highlighted the need to review labour-related cost structures and regulatory levies to ensure that Pakistan’s export-oriented industries remain competitive in international markets. Rationalizing such cost structures, they noted, would support increased production capacity, employment generation, and sustained export growth.
Responding to the proposals, the Finance Minister appreciated the constructive suggestions shared by the delegation and noted that many of the issues raised are already under active consideration as part of the Government’s ongoing economic reform agenda.
The meeting was attended by Mr. Javed Bilwani, Chairman of the Pakistan Apparel Forum; Mr. Khurram Mukhtar, Patron-in-Chief of the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association; Mr. Khalid Mansoor, Director of the Pakistan Regional Economic Forum and former SAPM on CPEC Affairs and Minister of State; Mr. Siddique Bhatti, CEO of US Apparel; Mr. Shahzad Asghar Ali, CEO of Style Textile; and Mr. Javed Akhtar, CSO of Style Textile, along with senior officers of the Ministry of Finance.
