Faisalabad Eyes Textile Circular City Status

Key Points:

CERP and FCCI discuss data-based research for industry
Study proposed on declaring Faisalabad a textile circular city
Joint industrial database and AI pilot projects proposed
FCCI presents honorary shield to CERP director Mehr Tiwana

FAISALABAD: The Faisalabad chamber on Wednesday sought a study on declaring the city a textile circular city.

According to the FCCI handout, Mehr Tiwana, director learning hub at the Centre for Economic Research in Pakistan (CERP), told the business community that data and fact-based research could improve decision-making and speed up growth in the public and private sectors.

Tiwana said CERP had carried out impartial studies on many important issues. She added that impartial data was indispensable for decision-making.

She told the gathering that the Punjab chief minister had formed policies on the basis of a CERP study to bring women into the economic mainstream, with the results now visible to all.

In reply to a question, Tiwana said a study could be carried out on declaring Faisalabad a textile circular city. Initial funding could identify the issues through CERP, while international funding institutions could help with implementation later.

FCCI President Arif Ehsan Malik welcomed the CERP delegation and said data, artificial intelligence and modern technology had become indispensable for industrial progress in the modern world economy.

Malik said pricing, production and supply chain decisions must rest on authentic data and modern technology to keep Faisalabad’s industries competitive in the world market.

Malik added that Faisalabad was a major industrial and export centre, contributing 15 per cent of national exports and 20 per cent of gross domestic product.

Malik proposed a joint industrial database between CERP and FCCI, AI-based pilot projects in selected industrial units, joint research on industrial issues, training programmes for small and medium enterprises and a permanent research and policy dialogue.

The chamber president said research must turn into workable projects and effective government policies instead of remaining confined to reports.

“research must turn into workable projects and effective government policies instead of remaining confined to reports”

Former FCCI president Mian Javed Iqbal said capacity building of the public and private sectors was needed for national progress. He said the chamber was ready to cooperate at all times.

Iqbal said large industrial units worked alongside many small units in Faisalabad, each facing problems of a different nature. He said the small and medium enterprise sector could not fund solutions for financial reasons, though global funding could improve living standards.

He praised Malik’s vision of making Faisalabad a textile circular city and said recycling benefited the environment.

He added that 60 to 65 per cent of Pakistan’s textile waste was recycled in Faisalabad and made reusable, yet the units worked in the informal sector and had not yet drawn government attention.

Iqbal said a comprehensive study of the issue was needed. He said Malik was overseeing the project for FCCI, while CERP would have to nominate its focal person to take matters forward.

Dr Habib Aslam Gaba, Muhammad Azhar Chaudhry, Waheed Khalid Ramey, Engineer Bilal Jamil, Muhammad Mughis, Asim Habib, Muhammad Asif and Muhammad Salman took part in the question-and-answer session.

At the end, Mian Javed Iqbal and President Arif Ehsan Malik presented the FCCI honorary shield to Mehr Tiwana. CERP Associate Director Jahan Ara Amin was also present.

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