Uproar over Imran's Uteron on Sugar-cotton imports from India; PAK businessmen say - will be ruined

Pakistan is finding it expensive to take Uteron on the decision to approve the import of sugar and cotton from India. Pakistan has been torn apart over overturning a decision on the import of sugar and cotton from India. Not only is the Imran Khan government being criticized on this uturn, but the textiles sector is strongly opposing it. The textile industry in Pakistan termed this decision of Imran Khan as disappointing and said that this would ruin our business completely.

According to Dawn, Javed Bilwani, president of the Pakistan Apparel (Clothing) Forum, said on Thursday that the decision of the federal cabinet has disappointed the textile export industry. He termed the recommendation of Commerce Advisor Abdul Razak Dawood to import cotton yarn from India realistic and the need of the hour. He said that importing cotton from India was in the interest of Pakistan and the textile industry. He said that the Government of Pakistan should take serious consideration again on the issue of the import of cotton from India.

Let me tell you that in the cabinet meeting held under the leadership of PM Imran Khan, the decision of the government panel was overturned. Earlier, Pakistan's Economic Coordination Committee approved the import of sugar and cotton from India. The inflation of these products has increased significantly in Pakistan. In such a situation, it was decided to resume imports from India to deal with inflation. But politics started on this too and under pressure, the Imran Khan government overturned the decision.

Javed Bilwani said that the Pakistan Government's rejection of the proposal of the Economic Coordination Committee ie ECC would send a negative message among foreign buyers and cotton yarn is not available in Pakistan at this time. To avoid major losses, Pakistan's textile export sector is constantly demanding the import of duty-free cotton yarn from all over the world including India. Buying cotton from India will cost Pakistan cheaper than other countries. This is the reason why the textile sector is opposing Imran Khan's decision.

Bilwani claimed that the price of cotton yarn in Pakistan has gone up significantly following the Cabinet decision. If the government does not want to allow cotton to be imported from India, the government will have to ensure the availability of cotton yarn in the country. He feared that Pakistan's textile exports would be severely affected if exports of cotton yarn were not allowed to be imported from the neighboring country and exports would decline. Bilwani said that if the government does not want to allow the import of cotton yarn from India, it should ban the export of cotton and cotton yarn for at least the next six months.

If you look at the figures, the textile industry in Pakistan is going through a very bad phase. Bilwani has also explained how the deal to buy cotton from India would have been beneficial. According to Bilwani, the sea freight has already increased 700 percent due to the Coronavirus epidemic and goods are now arriving at their foreign destination in 105 days instead of 25 days.

Nothing has been officially said by Pakistan to reverse the decision. If the decision of the Economic Coordination Committee had come into force, it would have been two years since the trade between India and Pakistan would have started. In fact, in August 2019, after India removed Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan decided to discontinue business from India. On Wednesday, Pakistan's new finance minister Hammad Azhar announced to start business with India. He spoke about the import of cotton and sugar from India. Not only this, but he had also defended his decision on the question of starting a business from India.