Apparel industry pledges to ramp up exports

Sohail Afzal Sheikh has been elected central chairman of the Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association for the 2026-28 term, according to The Express Tribune. The new leadership has committed to boosting apparel exports while the sector contends with newly imposed tariffs, costly power and stricter buyer demands. Aamir Lakhani and Ansar Aziz Puri were also picked as senior vice chairman and vice chairman respectively.

Sheikh said the industry is going through major change, where sustainability, digitalisation, traceability and trade policy shifts increasingly shape global competitiveness. He noted that producers need to get ready for obligations like the European Union's Digital Product Passport, along with broader sustainability and supply-chain rules. He also called for investment in energy efficiency, renewable power, decarbonisation and digital systems, alongside protecting GSP+ access, tackling US tariffs and diversifying markets.

To make doing business easier, Sheikh asked the government for competitive power tariffs, faster refunds and rebates, and simpler rules. In July-August 2026-27, apparel and textile shipments climbed 5.55% to $3.4 billion, compared with $3.2 billion a year earlier, according to Pakistan Bureau of Statistics figures. Over two months of the current fiscal year, readymade garment exports reached $827 million, a 13.59% gain. Last year, textile exports gained only 0.26% to $17.93 billion, while garments rose 3.87% to $4.29 billion.