US rejects Pak’s demand on textiles

The US Government has rejected Pakistan’s demand for preferential treatment to its textile products in the US market. By doing so, the US administration has clearly told Islamabad they have to rely on the existing General System of Preference (GSP). The message was conveyed by the visiting top aide of US President on trade, Michael Froman at a meeting with the Commerce Minister of Pakistan Khurram Dastgir Khan.

The Minister asked the visiting United States Trade Representative (USTR) to revise travel advisory, ensure preferential access to its textile market and ease visa regime for exporters of IT-related services to further strengthen trade ties between the two countries. The US delegation led by Ambassador Michael Froman, USTR also included Ambassador David Hale, Matthew Vogel, Deputy USTR Michael Delaney, among others. The Pakistani delegation included secretary commerce Azmat Ranjha, Secretary Board of Investment (BoI) Azhar Ali Chaudhary, et al. The US had initially invited the commerce minister to visit Washington and attend TIFA meeting. However, commerce minister made it clear that only if the US was ready to give serious access to Pakistani textiles would he be ready to visit the country failing which the USTR should visit Pakistan.