Pakistan Cotton Fashion Apparel Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PCFAMEA) has demanded of the Government to provide additional funds of Rs 80 million in order to develop the 'garment skill development schools' that were being established with a total cost of Rs 96 million, being facilitated by the Export Development Fund (EDF).

PCFAMEA was being provided Rs 96 million by the Textile Garment Skill Development Board set up by the Ministry of Textile in order to establish the skill development institutes with the basic objective of providing comprehensive consultancy services and technical guidance on all aspects of garment manufacturing and productivity.

Under this fund, four skill development schools would be opened with Rs 20.5 million each, but the institutes require additional funding by the government as the expenditures are much more than being provided by the EDF administered by the Ministry of Commerce.

The garment sub-sector has the highest value addition in the textile chain. Pakistan has a share of 1.5% in the world apparel trade conducted by developing economies while share of Bangladesh in apparel export is 3.1%, Sri Lanka 2.0% whereas India has 4.3%.