FAISALABAD: International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) 75th meeting will be held from 30th October to 4th November in Islamabad. Immediately after this meeting the delegates will also spend 3 days in Faisalabad to personally witness the textile strength of Pakistan.
This was disclosed by Miss Rubina Wasti Senior Joint Secretary Ministry of Textile Industry. She was addressing the members of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) hereby today. This meeting was also attended by cotton commissioner Dr. Abdullah, Dr. Khalid and Dr. Ramzan Ali Talpur.
She said that earlier Pakistan has hosted this event in 1951 and now after 55 years this conference will again be held in Pakistan. She said that the ultimate objective of this conference is to provide an international level platform to the policy makers to sit together and make recommendations to increase the cotton production with a view to further develop its related auxiliary industry. She further told that 400 delegates from 48 countries are expected to participate and share their research work on different aspects of cotton and its value chain during this meeting. She told that a cotton conference will also be held during this meeting. The topic of this conference is “Emerging dynamics in cotton; enhancing sustainability in cotton value chain”. She said that Pakistan is 4th largest cotton producing country of the world that is facing severe cotton crisis for the last many years. As a sequel to the last year’s crisis, this year the sowing area has been reduced to 30 % which is very alarming. She said that the experts from all over the world will deliberate and make recommendations to enhance the cotton production at global level.
About Faisalabad she said that it is the main hub of textile industry and hence a comprehensive visit program has been chalked out for the delegates to this city. She said that this visit will provide ample opportunities to the local industrialists and businessmen who will interact and gain economic benefit out of it. She said that Pakistan is included among the emerging economies of the world. Textile is the main stay of our economy and hence, we have to fully concentrate on this sector to attain economic sustainability. She further told that this visit will also provide an opportunity to the local textilers to showcase their products. She told that the delegates will pay a visit to a local ginning factory. They will also have a round of the Asia’s biggest yarn market. She also invited a delegation of FCCI to participate in this conference in Islamabad and said that business community of Faisalabad should take the ownership of this event and participate in it wholeheartedly.
Responding to the problems confronting by the textile industry, Miss Rubina Wasti said that she will arrange a meeting of textilers with Secretary Ministry of Textile.
Dr. Khalid presented a documentary on cotton crisis in Pakistan. He also analyzed the production of cotton in India and said that reduction in cotton production in Pakistan is due to the cultivation of Sugarcane in cotton zone. He said that despite of less sowing the cotton crop is in excellent condition and we are expecting to have a reasonable production, though, we will remain short of production targets.
Earlier Chaudhary Muhammad Nawaz President of FCCI underlined the problems faced by the textile industry and said that we are unlucky that this important ministry has no minister. He further said that cotton directly falls within the preview of agriculture ministry but its consumption is related to the Ministry of Textile Industry. Hence, we have to take two separate ministries into confidence in order to resolve our basic issues. He also assured to extend full cooperation to make ICAC meeting a total success. He also nominated Rehan Nasim Bhararah as Chamber’s spokesman who will remain in touch with Ministry of Textile Industry regarding this meeting.
Rana Abdul Haq, Mukhtar Ahmed Sheikh Chairman Faisalabad Dry port Trust, Rehan Nasim Barada Chairman Faisalabad Garment City, Muhammad Amjad Khwaja, Abdul Qayyum Sheikh and Talib Hussain Rana also addressed the meeting.
Later, Mukhtar Ahmed Sheikh presented FCCI memento to Madam Rubina Wasti while Abdul Qayyum Sheikh offered Vote of Thanks.