Textile Sector Warns of Systemic Policy Bias Threatening Industry Survival

The Pakistan Textile Exporters Association has issued a sharp warning that the entire textile value chain is engaged in an ongoing struggle against what it describes as a deeply entrenched policy mindset that systematically disadvantages the sector. The statement reflects growing frustration among textile stakeholders who argue that successive governments have failed to prioritise the industry despite its centrality to Pakistan's export earnings.

PTEA's remarks target what it characterises as structural biases in energy pricing, regulatory burdens, and financial access that make Pakistani textile producers less competitive relative to regional rivals such as Bangladesh and India. The association contends that the policy environment consistently works against the sector's ability to modernise, expand, and retain global customers.

The textile sector accounts for the largest share of Pakistan's export revenues and employs millions of workers across the supply chain. Any sustained erosion of its competitiveness has direct implications for the country's trade balance, foreign exchange earnings, and employment levels.

PTEA's statement is timed to coincide with pre-budget advocacy, signalling that the association intends to press hard for structural policy corrections. The call for change adds to mounting pressure from multiple industry bodies demanding that the upcoming budget address longstanding competitiveness constraints.