LAHORE: Acting US Ambassador to Pakistan Natalie A. Baker met with the leadership of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) to discuss strengthening bilateral trade and investment, particularly in cotton and textiles. She was accompanied by US Consul General Lahore Stetson Sanders, Political and Economic Chief William Campbell, and Economic Specialist Amna Anis.
APTMA Chairman Kamran Arshad, along with senior office bearers, highlighted the challenges facing Pakistan’s textile sector, which contributes 62% of the country’s total exports. He noted that Pakistan’s declining domestic cotton production has increased reliance on imports, making the US—Pakistan’s largest cotton supplier—critical to sustaining industry operations.
Arshad stressed the urgent need to revive competitiveness by addressing high energy tariffs, excessive taxes, and rising yarn imports that have forced more than 100 spinning mills to shut down. He proposed mechanisms such as importing US cotton under GSM-102 against textile exports to the US, with escrow-based settlement to strengthen trade flows.
Chairman North Asad Shafi underscored that the US remains Pakistan’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $7 billion in 2024. He urged closer collaboration on technology transfer, high-yield seed development, cotton traceability, and joint ventures with US investors. He also called for entry of global seed companies with advanced transgenic technologies to boost Pakistan’s cotton productivity.
Both sides expressed commitment to expanding trade, reducing deficits, and diversifying commodities, while fostering long-term textile and cotton linkages under the growing US–Pakistan economic partnership.
