APTMA Raises Alarm on Energy Costs, US Tariffs

Islamabad, July 10, 2025, 04:58 PM PKT — Representatives of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and the Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association have sounded a stark warning over the soaring cost of doing business, driven by skyrocketing energy prices that outpace regional competitors, alongside looming US tariff threats, during a crucial meeting with Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Commerce Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan at the Ministry of Commerce, per a Thursday release. APTMA underscored the textile industry’s pivotal export role, with the United States as a key market, while the carpet association flagged high taxes on intermediate goods, stifling growth and export potential.

Rana Ihsaan Afzal Khan pledged full Ministry support to enhance the trading environment and optimism in ongoing US tariff negotiations, aiming for favorable outcomes for exporters. He reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to collaborate with authorities to tackle these pressing issues, prioritizing export sector facilitation. Web context reveals persistent energy cost debates (e.g., 10-11 cents/kWh vs. regional 5-9 cents), while posts found on X show mixed sentiment—some hope for tariff relief, others doubt action efficacy. Critically, the narrative of “support and optimism” may mask structural barriers—web data hints at slow policy shifts, and X sentiment suggests skepticism about tangible progress, pointing to potential unaddressed challenges.