Pakistan defers decision to allow import of cotton, sugar from India

[Bi_Jamalo]

Off topic, but since every Pakistan/India thread ends with a historical debate on Kashmir, want to share the below documentary on the deep history of Kashmir going all the way back to 1000AD:

While the documentary is from India, I think it is quite complete and factually correct.

What shall we do with your biased Documentary on the history of kashmir?

Its the ‘present’ day, that matters and like i said earlier, majority of Kashmiris have denounced the Hindu religion and dont see much commonality with the rest of the Indian population (rightly so).

This is no different than the rest of population of what today makes up Pakistani punjab and Sindh.

India is a greedy and power hungry state, which is only inter In controlling the flow of the water. It doesn’t really gives 2 hoots about ordinary Kashmiris and their will.

 

[Bi_Jamalo]

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2293225/at-least-22-indian-security-personnel-killed-in-maoist-attack

So much so for the tall claims here by some Indians.

 

[Kriketer]

Neighbours and their be-jamalo (anti IK) fans here are just good enough for a laugh

I try not to take them too seriously as one loves beating chest over mera bhrat mahaan, while ever ready to run away from this mahaan nation which is filled with poverty, corruption, social struggle, religious extremists, extremely unhygienic, polluted etc third world country in a beat, while our anti IK be-jamalos look for excuses to vent their frustration of their leaders hiding around like rats

 

[Mp812]

Dr. Moeed Yusuf

“As commerce minister, Imran Khan allowed trade with India. But as Prime Minister he decided against it.”

- Dr. Moeed Yusuf

So to summarize:

Imran Khan made a decision and then gave it to Imran Khan to approve it which Imran Khan did.

Few hours later, Imran Khan decided to retract it. So Imran Khan asked Imran Khan to take the decision back.

Imran khan obliged but said that Imran Khan had asked him to make the call.

) ) )

Spy vs spy scenario

 

[Itachi]

Neighbours and their be-jamalo (anti IK) fans here are just good enough for a laugh

I try not to take them too seriously as one loves beating chest over mera bhrat mahaan, while ever ready to run away from this mahaan nation which is filled with poverty, corruption, social struggle, religious extremists, extremely unhygienic, polluted etc third world country in a beat, while our anti IK be-jamalos look for excuses to vent their frustration of their leaders hiding around like rats

Your post has no relevance to the thread except ranting against those who disagrees your view.

 

[MenInG]

KARACHI: Keeping in view the government’s approval of duty-free import of cotton yarn, exporters have demanded that the leadership open imports from India.

They have also requested the government to extend incentives until the country achieves its yearly cotton production target.

The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the cabinet on Wednesday withdrew customs duty on the import of cotton yarn till June 30, 2021.

In a statement on Thursday, Pakistan Yarn Merchants Association (PYMA) Senior Vice Chairman Hanif Lakhany called for the abolition of additional customs duty and regulatory duty on synthetic yarn to counter the impact of Covid-19 pandemic and steer production activities.

Pakistan Apparel Forum Chairman Jawed Bilwani said that the value-added textile export sector had been requesting duty-free import of cotton yarn since October 2020.

The belated decision would provide only partial relief in view of traffic congestion on sea route, he said, adding that shipments were taking over two months to reach Pakistan’s ports.

“Therefore, we request the government to allow duty-free import of cotton yarn until the country achieves its cotton production target of 10.5 million bales.”

To resolve the cotton yarn crisis, the leadership should also place a ban on export of cotton yarn from Pakistan or slap 10% duty, he said.

He also called on the government to initiate necessary steps and measures to safely import cotton yarn from the Central Asian Republics through the land route by utilising the transit trade agreements signed with regional countries.

He lamented that trade through the sea route was consuming longer than usual time due to shortage of containers and vessels.

“Textile exporters request the government to take notice of hoarding of cotton yarn and cartelisation by the stakeholders concerned in line with the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act 1977 and the Competition Act of Pakistan 2010,” he said.

According to the Price Control and Prevention of Profiteering and Hoarding Act 1977, cotton yarn was included in the schedule of essential commodities alongside sugar, wheat and edible oil, he said.

Therefore, the government must move against spinning mills and yarn traders involved in creating a monopoly, abusive dominance for exorbitant pricing and hoarding, and arrest the culprits by conducting raids.

He also called for conducting a forensic audit, which would prove that the yarn crisis was a bigger fraud compared to the sugar crisis.

“It has been learnt that 2 million cotton bales have been sold without invoices or payment of sales tax in the domestic market,” he said.

FPCCI Central Standing Committee on Yarn Trading Convener Farhan Ashrafi praised the ECC’s decision, but was of the view that additional customs duty and regulatory duty on synthetic yarn should also be abolished to support the textile industry.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 16th, 2021.

 

[MenInG]

LAHORE: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile, Industry and Production, and Investment Abdul Razak Dawood has said trade with India is the need of the hour and beneficial to both countries.

Also, Russia wanted to do investment in the field of construction and lay pipelines in Pakistan, he said on Sunday.

“As far as the ministry of commerce is concerned, its position is to do trade with India. And my stance is that we should do trade with India and it should be opened now,” Mr Dawood said in an interaction with media at an exhibition on engineering and healthcare organised by the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan.

“The trade with India is very beneficial to all, especially Pakistan. And I support it,” he added.

About the exports to Afghanistan, the advisor said his ministry had increased the number of exporting items to Afghanistan (in Pakistan rupee) to 17. “Still various businessmen are contacting me to include their articles / items in this list as they also want to export their goods to Afghanistan in Pak rupee,” he claimed.

Talking about the trade relations with Russia, Mr Dawood said Pakistan’s exports to Russia and the countries bordering it (central Asia) and others required immediate attention and growth. “So we need to open this trade. And that is why we are going there,” he said, adding that Russia wanted to work in Pakistan in the fields of laying pipelines, constructions etc.

As for exports, he said the textile exports would reach Rs21 billion target in FY 2021-22 ending on June 30. The next year’s textile exports target is Rs27 billion. But the country should diversify its exports since its products range is squeezed. “Our major export destinations are Europe, North America (especially the USA) and China. But our range of products needs to be increased. And I think, our engineering and healthcare-related goods can be added in the list of exports,” he said.

He admitted skyrocketing prices and their adverse impact on the common people. “I agree with you on this issue. But this issue will persist due to imports of oil, raw material, machinery and other goods,” Mr Dawood said.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2022

https://www.dawn.com/news/1676171/trade-with-india-need-of-the-hour-says-razak-dawood

 

[daytrader]

Exporters pine for Indian cotton amid govt quest for seed

ISLAMABAD: With the devastating monsoon rain hitting cotton areas, the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association has approached the federal government to allow the import of cotton from India via Wagah to meet the rising export orders.

Exporters say early estimates show that 25 per cent of the standing cotton crop had been damaged and there was a possibility of a raw material shortage in the country.

Separately, in the wake of flood losses suffered by cotton harvest in Sindh and Punjab, the federal government on Wednesday formed a committee that will negotiate with seed companies and facilitate them to introduce state-of-the-art cotton seeds in the local market.

The decision was taken during a meeting at the Ministry of National Food Security and Research to consult with stakeholders and review proposals for the enhancement of yield and area of cotton crops.

'Exporters’ demand

“We have approached Finance Minister Miftah Ismail to look into one of our demands,” Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) Patron in Chief Khurram Mukhtar told Dawn on Wednesday. He said actual calculations of cotton demand would be made after September 15. “We might need to import 2.5 million bales from India,” he said, adding that seemed to be the only viable option with lower logistics costs.

Mr Mukhtar said the minister has assured them he would take up the issue with coalition partners and other stakeholders.

Last week, Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said that he personally supported the idea to allow the import of vegetables from India and that international organisations had approached Pakistan to import food items from India as part of relief operations. However, the minister said that the decision in this regard will be taken after consultation with coalition partners.

To extend support to the textile exporters, Mr Mukhtar said that the association also took up the issue of pending refunds with the finance minister to resolve the liquidity crunch facing exporters.

The pending refunds of exporters with the Federal Board of Revenue stood at Rs36 billion of deferred sales tax while 32,000 pending cases are to be disbursed in due course. The association demands improvement in the clearance of pending cases.

Cotton seed

A meeting chaired by Minister for National Food Security and Research, Tariq Bashir Cheema, decided to encourage technology-providing seed companies to market their cotton seeds in Pakistan.

Mr Cheema said the latest seed technologies will help to enhance productivity, while the sector will benefit from the transfer of technology, adding that farmers will be encouraged to grow more cotton through such incentives.

DAWN