Hosiery manufacturers-cum-exporters are seeking duty free market access to European and US to salvage the diminishing local industry. A number of export-oriented units closed down in the wake of high cost of production and losing EU and American markets for high import duties.

The local businessmen have also lost established foreign buyers in these big world markets, as subsequently with imposition of import duties the products become costlier compared to other countries like India and Bangladesh.

Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA) has proposed duty free market access to the EU and US markets, as EU and US have already granted zero-rated market access to Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Bahrain and several other countries, whereas Pakistan being a close ally in war against terror has been kept out.

Similarly, EU and Canada have granted the Least Development Countries (LDC) status to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other regional countries allowing them to export their products at zero-rate.

The countries enjoying the privilege of duty free access has indirectly affected, Pakistani value-added textile products and combined with an increasing cost of production, political turmoil, energy crisis and the import duty in these world markets have made the products uncompetitive.

The total exports from Bangladesh from the year 2000 to 2006 have been about 112 million pieces, whereas the total from India is about 7.8 million pieces.