APTMA urges Punjab government to withdraw PIDC Bill 2026
The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association has formally urged the Punjab government to withdraw the Punjab Industrial Development Corporation Bill 2026, warning that the proposed legislation poses serious risks to the competitiveness and operational autonomy of the textile sector in the province. APTMA's intervention signals a significant industry pushback against what manufacturers describe as an overreach by provincial authorities into industrial governance.
The association has raised concerns that the PIDC Bill 2026 could impose additional regulatory and financial obligations on textile manufacturers, many of whom are already under pressure from high energy costs, sluggish export demand, and elevated input prices. APTMA argues that the legislation, as currently drafted, creates bureaucratic layers that would impede rather than facilitate industrial growth.
Pakistan's textile sector is the country's largest export-earning industry and a critical source of employment, making any regulatory shift with potential adverse effects a matter of national economic significance. The Punjab government's move to advance the PIDC Bill has therefore attracted close attention from industry bodies and trade associations beyond textiles alone.
APTMA has called for meaningful consultation with industry stakeholders before any further legislative action and has threatened to escalate its opposition if the government proceeds without addressing the sector's concerns. The dispute reflects broader tensions between industrial policy ambitions at the provincial level and the private sector's resistance to expanded state intervention in manufacturing.
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