Karachi: With serious effort of Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, the Uzbekistan government has agreed to provide one million cotton bales to Pakistan up to 30th June 2011.
Chairman All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Gohar Ejaz said that the Uzbekistan government has agreed to provide up to one million cotton bales to Pakistan on purely business terms.
According to him, no such import of cotton has ever taken place from Uzbekistan to Pakistan over the last 10 years. China was major importer besides the international traders of Uzbek cotton with 80 percent advance payment as cash. However, the Uzbek government has amended this law for Pakistan and the condition of 80 percent advance Cash has been withdrawn. Further, he said, the Uzbek index was higher than A index and the Uzbek government agreed to provided cotton on A index.
Gohar, besides Minister for Privatization Syed Naveed Qamar, Minister for Food and Agriculture Israrullah Zehri and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, was part of a PM-led delegation to Uzbekistan.
Gohar said the Prime Minister Gilani has become hero of textile industry by resolving the cotton shortage issue through holding successful negotiations with his Uzbek counterpart Shavket Mirziyayev and Uzbek President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov.
According to him, Pakistan was short of one million cotton bales due to non-availability of cotton from traditional suppliers like Indian and US.
He said Pakistan would be for the first time importing cotton from Uzbekistan and all credit goes to President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani.
He said he had pointed out to the PM Gilani that it was not possible for Pakistani importers to pay 80 percent cash as advance payment as per the Uzbek law. The PM Gilani, he said, took it to his Uzbek counterpart and got through a waiver to this condition and the Uzbek government agreed to waive it of for Pakistan.
Gohar also said that four meetings were held with Uzbek government where the issue relating to pricing formula on the basis of A index was also resolved.
Chairman APTMA said the prime minister extended his full support to ensure availability of one million cotton bales from Uzbekistan. Earlier, he said, China and Bangladesh were importing Uzbek cotton altogether.
Gohar said this agreement has brought a deep sigh of relief to the textile industry, as it has met shortage of remaining one million cotton bales up to June 30, 2011.
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