The government has established a Treaty Implementation Cell (TIC) in the commerce ministry to ensure compliance with specified international conventions under European Union’s low-tariff scheme GSP+, Federal Minister Overseas Pakistani and Human Resource Development Syed Sadaruddin Shah Rashidi said yesterday.
Representatives from four provinces, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan were represented in the TIC, which would report on the progress made on promulgation of laws on women, children, labour and minorities’ rights.
The minister made these remarks at the launch of the first-ever Buyers’ Forum for the country’s textile and garment sector. The forum is convened by the government and supported by the ILO, UN’s labour organisation, and the International Finance Corporation.
The theme of the forum is the promotion of a sustainable textile and garment industry in Pakistan.
The event brought together a number of buyers and brands including GAP, Wal-Mart, Target, H&M, Adidas, Levi Strauss, Inditex, Primark, Li & Fung, El Corte Ingles, PVH, Hema, and C&A, who expressed their commitment to sustainable practices, improving compliance and reporting on environmental, labour and health and safety standards and their implementation in the textile and garment sector in Pakistan.