The Rise and Fall of Pakistan's Textile Industry: An Analytical View
The Rise and Fall of Pakistan's Textile Industry: An Analytical View
The Rise and Fall of Pakistan's Textile Industry: An Analytical View
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Provided by International Institute for Science, Technology and Education (IISTE): E-Journals
Abstract
The textile industry of Pakistan is one of the most vital sectors for the economic growth of the country. It is a
significant contributor to its industrial exports. Over the years, this sector has undergone a rise and fall due to
various reasons. The sector has struggled due to high manufacturing expenses, frequent power shortages, faulty
strategies and lack of support policies from the government. A worldwide recession, global tension and quality
competence are also major threats to the sector. The textile industry of Pakistan is also faced with several
challenges and opportunities like frail infrastructure, obsolete technology, adverse law and order situation and lack
of investment. The main segments of this sector are clothing and garments, readymade fabrics, weaved apparels,
twisting sector and chemical processing sector. Despite the fact that majority of the textile sales is done overseas
to the developed countries, the sector is still way behind South Asian regional competitors and has not performed
to its full potential particularly in recent years.
Keywords: Textile industry, Economic growth, South Asia
DOI: 10.7176/EJBM/12-12-12
Publication date: April 30th 2020
1. Introduction
“Textile Division” (2018) examined that Pakistani textile industry is a major driver of economic growth; it
comprises 57% of the total exports. The current international atmosphere of the market is increasingly demanding,
and there is a fierce rivalry in the industry. The logistics network, however, is frail of the textile industry which
needs drastic improvement and enhancement, the output needs to be increased, and there exists a need of having
unique selling proposition in order to thrive and compete. The textile sector has to devise plans, schemes and
policies to overcome the obstacles and become strong and tenacious to contest worldwide.
The Pakistani textile sector is the biggest production section of the nation and is a complex sector as well. In
the past textile manufacturing has been considered lifeblood of the state for creating jobs and trade profits. In terms
of creating jobs, the sector is placed second in Pakistan and ranked eighth in the Asian region for selling textile
goods overseas. It comprises 8.5 % of the total GDP of the country as of 2018, and there was a surge of 12.8% in
textile goods for the year ended 2018 on an annual basis. The sector was worth USD 7.72 Billion at the beginning
of the year 2018 on a semiannual basis, up by 7.18 %, according to The Nation (Nini, 2018).
Javed (2019) wrote that the textile industry is one of the significant contributors to exports of Pakistan. 50 to
60% of the total exports of Pakistan account to the textile, and it utilizes 40% of the total workforce. It has been
said that the textile sector has not delivered its 100 % and has accomplished far from its true potential. Pakistani
textile makes up only less than 5% of the total global textile exports according to Global Village Space News.
Hence, the textile sector can play a pivotal role in the revival of trembling economy of the country by enhancing
the standard and volume of textile goods and increased focus on improved end products.
There have been instances when textile sectors performance has been unsatisfactory. There have been 125
textile companies deciding to seize operations to date, most of them recently shutting down. The idea of devaluing
Pakistani local currency against the US Dollar has not helped the cause of textile sector either. As evident from
the fact that the textile exports plummeted by over 6% for the November 2018 year on year as per The News.
Furthermore, the trade war between the US and China has indirectly denied Pakistan’s textile sector, as Pakistan
exported raw wool to China in a considerable volume (Ahmad, 2018).
“Textile exports: dismal performance” (2019) reported that recent initiatives by the government to terminate
the tax exemption of textile sector on finished goods and has discontinued the credit facility on Value Added Tax
has also affected production and export. This has resulted in higher price and cost of goods sold. The progress of
the textile sector stayed static at $12.3 Billion for the fiscal year 2019. With all the textile divisions indicating
boom, off the shelf wearable ballooned by 33%, clothing climbed by 18% in terms of volume and pillow sheets
cases mounted by 2 % in terms of the export price according to The Business Recorder (2019).
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exports from the year 2001 till 2014. Ahmed (2011) provided data of the Economic Survey of Pakistan issued by
State Bank of Pakistan describing the growth rate year on year basis for years 2002 till 2011. The Express Tribune
Statistics revealed the textile exports from the year 2015 to 2017 (Rana, 2017). Khan and Khan (2010) presented
the textile export of Pakistan for the year 2000. Shah (2012) provided statistic for textile exports of Pakistan for
the year 1999 as per The Business Recorder. Fayyaz (2019) expressed slight growth in the textile sector as per
Business Recorder in 2018. Ahmed, Asif, Ali, Tariq, and Khan (2016) provided data on textile exports of Pakistan
in 1999, as described in the table below.
Year Textile Exports in US$ million % Growth or Decline (Year on Year)
1999 5,200 4.4%
2000 5,577 7.25%
2001 6,661 19.43%
2002 7,018 4.10%
2003 8,521 5.20%
2004 9,151 20%
2005 10,691 24.50%
2006 11,376 11.23%
2007 11,177 8.40%
2008 11,092 4.05%
2009 9,867 -0.70%
2010 11,778 -1.78%
2011 13,632 1%
2012 12,919 -5.23%
2013 13,890 7.51%
2014 14,068 1.28%
2015 13,470 -4.25%
2016 12,440 -7.64%
2017 12,450 0.04%
2018 13,553 0.17%
2019 10,880 -9.47%
Figure 1. Textile export of Pakistan for the past 20 Years
Note: The growth rates are calculated in some places in the above table where it was not available in sources
from where data has been taken.
2013 was a promising year for the textile sector, as the textile exports rose to $ 13.8 Billion. However, it
could not withstand that momentum and the following four years witnessed a downfall, with exports plummeting
to mere $ 10.9 billion in 2019. The textile commodities of Pakistan in the past had global presence and recognition,
were well known for maintaining excellent standards and having acceptable value. In 2016, the textile sector was
awarded as being highly automated sector. However, recently, the mainstream cotton export has plunged by 21 %
in the previous four years as per Dawn Paper (Sattar & Tanveer, 2018).
Clothing transport mounted by 7.66 % annually to reach $. 5.51 billion for the second half of 2017 because
of the sale of high-quality garment goods. After a period of the rise in 2013-2014 when the overseas textile sales
stood at robust $13.73 billion, the following years brought a downfall. In 2014-2015 it dropped to $13.47 billion,
and in 2015-2016 the textile commodities dispatched were at $12.44 billion. A meager recovery was observed in
2016-2017 when garments sold overseas increased by 0.04% to reach $ 12.45 billion. Gas levies doubled, and
energy fares rose by 50 % in 2017 than rivals according to The Express Tribune (Rana, 2017).
The textile sector was a bit slow to start after the creation of Pakistan. However, gradually, the sector picked
up the pace and in during 1990s garments comprised 9.5% of the entire GDP (Gross Domestic Product). In 2003-
2007 this share remained at around 7% to 7.5%. As per the Pakistan Economic Survey of 2008-2009, Pakistan has
1221 cotton ginning machines, 458 spindles of cotton spinning (124 big and 425 small). The Pakistani textile
industry is fragmented in subdivisions, in which 80% are small factories, 15% are moderate-sized plants, and 5%
are massive processing installations (Khan, 2019).
“In 2018-2019, Pakistan’s largest export industry was the textile industry, with hosiery and readymade
garments contributing Rs. 544 billion to total trade” (2019). However 2018-2019 is a period of the rise of the
textile sector, as it emerged as the country’s most important export sector with socks, nylons and off the shelf
clothes and dresses accounting 24% of total revenue. Other major contributors were pillow covers and bed sheets
Rs. 227 billion, i.e. 10%, cotton clothes, Rs. 211 billion 9%, cotton thread fiber Rs.110 billion, i.e. 5% and bed
sheets Rs. 77 billion, i.e. 2% according to Gallup Survey statistics (2019).
During 1990s Pakistan textile sector was one of the robust and automated industries of the subcontinent. But
following the year 2000, the sector’s downfall started. The proportion of Pakistan textile in global export dribbled
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from 2.2% in 2006 to a mere 1.7% in 2017. Pakistan’s fall in global commerce in the last 10 years was due to
declining standards, frail textile exports and careless local strategies. In 2013-2015, out of Pakistan’s 20 trade
partners, the trade ratio enhanced of only 9 countries. The selling of textile goods overseas to China shrank by
10%, and that to UAE (United Arab Emirates) fell by 20.2%. The overall textile contraction in Pakistan was by
10% from the year 2011-2017 as per Business Recorder (Sattar & Tanveer, 2018).
Arain (2019) studied that the years 2008-2009 were struggling times for clothing segment with a negative
growth ( -0.70%), which later was on track to recovery in the years 2012-2013 at 13.02%. The political uncertainty
and adverse law and order situation were considered the reason for this deteriorating condition. For the half ended
2007-2008, the textile trade was worth $6.85 billion, compared to $6.47 billion in 2008-2009, registering a drop
of 5.6% according to the Federal Bureau of Statistics.
According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan (Ahmed, 2011), the journey of the textile industry has not
been a smooth road. The entrance of worldwide economic crisis was an instant setback, coupled with rising
manufacturing expenses, escalating power tariff, rising prices of commodities and a sharp decline in local currency
value were among various factors considered for the downfall of the textile industry in Pakistan. In 2004-2005 the
sector growth was at a staggering 24.50%, which later collapsed to a mere 1% in 2010-2011.
Hamid, Nabi, and Zafar (2014) asserted that the textile sector is greatly affected by energy outages. It has
been hit due to inappropriate tactics and plan of actions mainly by the government. Textiles share is 30% in sizeable
production facilities in Pakistan making goods having greater utility. In the early phases of Pakistan 1960s, textile
played a major part in making Pakistan one of the progressing economies. This was followed by a slight derailment
due to Bhutto’s strategy of state ownership during the early seventies (1970s). By 1990 textile became of sublime
importance for prospering industrialization plan.
Two major customers of the textile sector in Pakistan are the United States and the European Union which
aggregates 60% of entire textile outflow. However, the soaring value of raw cotton has always been an issue of
concern. The textile sector is one of the main and stable industries in Pakistan. Pakistan’s economy is 24 %
dependent on industrial sectors. Years 2004 to 2006 were a period of the tremendous rise of the textile sector in
Pakistan. In 1999, textile exports were $5.2 billion, which is 10 years, coupled to $10.2 billion in 2010. Pakistan
fulfills 3 % of textile import needs of the United States according to The Pakistan Credit Rating Agency Limited
(“Sector Study Textile Sector- FY11,” 2011).
Ahmad (2018) explained that years 2013-2018 were marked with a dismal performance by the Pakistani
textile sector. This crisis was due to the lack of funds allocated to the automation of processes and irregular plans
of the ruling regime. The situation further worsened with a 61% surge in power tariff, coupled with Rs. 3.61 per
unit imposed as taxes. The sector could not take advantage of a decrease in petroleum prices to bring down
production expenses which are heavily dependent on electricity for cotton fiber processing. The quantity of cotton
manufactured in 2012-2013 was 12.88 million cotton bundles, which plummeted to 10.73 million in 2016-2017
because of scarce land available.
COUNTRY GROWTH
INDIA 31
BANGLADESH 63%
VIETNAM 107%
PAKISTAN -10%
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Pakistan’s textile sector has been unable to take advantage of the quota allocation exemption. After the step
taken by the Pakistani government to eliminate duties, the direction was shifted off the textile arena in Pakistan.
But due to expensive unprocessed materials like raw cotton, global rivalry and the changes in trade rules of
countries to which textile commodities were shipped; the productivity of textile segment has remained mercurial
over the years (Ahmad & Kalim, 2014).
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One of the main problems facing the textile industry is heavy taxation and the misuse of authority by tax
officials. Opportunities include laying down the base and develop foundation for uninterruptable gas supply to the
sector and assign nominal and affordable levies on gas, curtailing the expenses of doing textile trade, removing
obstacles in way of textile sales, release of the unpaid levy amounts to traders and enhancing the revenue of the
industry (“National Assembly talks about challenges of Textile Industry Pakistan,”2017).
Alvi and Shahid (2016) wrote that other challenges facing the textile sector of Pakistan are the international
economic downturn. The 2008 economic crisis in Europe and America has adversely affected Pakistan’s exports
because of Pakistan in a significant exporter of textile to these countries. Furthermore, the worldwide financial
decline has resulted in joblessness. Resultantly, textile’s contribution to Pakistani export fell from 67% in 1997 to
55% in 2008 according to Research Foundation for Humanity. Other problems facing the sector are unproductive
Human Resource policies like lack of mentoring and focus on skill-building of workers. Moreover, the wages paid
are meager. Another setback is scarce allocation of funds to the sector.
Expenses of manufacturing and wages are soaring in China. Hence Pakistan has the opportunity to fulfill this
need and become globally viable. Production of 50,000 kegs of cotton filaments can generate 400 employment
opportunities, and in clothing, this amount is multiplied four times. Moreover, proper investment in the sector can
have a positive impact on boosting the textile exports. It is estimated that $1 million financings in twisting and
knitting can raise exports by $0.27 million as per the International Growth Centre. Due to frail infrastructure and
deteriorating law and order, the investors’ trust remains shaken. To regain this trust, benefits and relief should be
provided to the sector (Sheikh, 2015).
“Textile Fabric” (2011) explained that other shortcomings of the sector include an unexpected surge in the
cost of inputs affecting the flow of processes and creates liquidity problem of assets. To deal with this issue textile
factories have reduced their inventory at the lowest level. Furthermore, the struggling national economy also poses
threats. Another reason is the high progressively increasing cost of textile machinery. However, there is an
excellent opportunity if these apparatus are manufactured in house with guidance and partnership with friendly
countries like China which can result in cheaper manufacturing.
There is a lack of availability of credit and non-fulfillment of financing needs of the sector by the national
authorities. The credit shortfall is USD 2.9 billion. 5% of the financing needs are served by the banking sector.
The sector is rightfully called the cornerstone of Pakistan as it contributes 30% to GDP, 70% job creation, makes
up 25% of total export and 1.7 % share in the production industry as of 2017. Some other challenges faced are
weak pricing negotiations for production inputs, downtimes due to shutdown, state intervention, and structural
weakness of the tax system and legitimacy issues (Khan, 2017).
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