The chairman of the Pakistan Gloves Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PGMEA ) has called for stronger government backing for the industry.
Speaking to reporters earlier this week, chairman Mohammad Yaqoob Shaikh said government help was needed now as the industry was rapidly losing international market share to glovemakers from China, India, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Mr Shaikh contrasted the various incentives given to those industries and those provided by the Pakistan government, whose involvement was seen by glovemakers as being more of a hinderance than a help.
At the same press gathering, association senior vice-chairman Mohammad Younas highlighted the industry’s involvement in the Leather Products Development Institute (LPDI) and the Cleaning Production Centre (CPC), both Sialkot City. While the LPDI’s main purpose was to produce skilled workers, CPC was responsible for enhancing the environmental compatibility of the tanning industry, Mr Younas said. At the same time, he urged the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) to eliminate the customs duty and sales tax that applies to samples, parcels and letters sent to foreign customers or received by exporters, as it unfairly discriminated against them.
