Do Pakistani exporters still have hope?

In the heart of Pakistan’s economic engine lies its textile industry, a sector that has powered the country’s exports for decades. As one of the world’s largest producers of cotton, Pakistan once dominated textile exports. Yet, today, the industry is on the brink, weighed down by rising costs, outdated infrastructure, and inefficiencies that have left many players in the sector struggling to remain afloat. The once-vibrant hub of textile production in Sindh and beyond is now a shell of its former self, as government policies fail to keep up with the needs of an increasingly globalized and competitive marketplace.

A Shifting Landscape: From Booming to Struggling

It wasn’t always this way. The early 2000s saw a boom in Pakistan’s textile industry, particularly in Sindh, where the cost of gas was lower and the supply of energy more stable. The textile mills flourished, powered by cheap and predictable energy. “In the 2000s, we had very good years because we had a stable energy supply and the cost was predictable,” recalls Asif Inam, former Chairman of APTMA. Inam, who was once at the helm of the textile association, witnessed firsthand how the promise of cheaper gas in the southern regions of the country spurred rapid industrialization.