Britain’s High Commissioner to Pakistan and the country’s main textile mill lobby have explored securing tariff concessions and wider access to British retail markets, with the envoy stressing that strict sustainability compliance is vital to keeping Pakistani exports competitive.
High Commissioner Jane Marriott met leaders of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and urged closer collaboration between British institutions and Pakistani manufacturers in research and development, technical expertise and specialised textiles. She encouraged members to engage British consultants and sector specialists to close industrial capacity gaps and meet evolving international requirements.
APTMA Chairman Asad Shafi called the textile and apparel industry a principal driver of Pakistan’s economy and a key avenue for deepening trade and investment ties with London. He said stronger links with British laboratories, testing facilities, universities and research centres were essential to improving quality assurance and meeting increasingly stringent buyer demands.
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Shafi proposed a formal, actionable cooperation framework covering spinning, weaving, processing, garments and export-oriented home textiles, arguing it would move bilateral engagement beyond discussion towards measurable industrial outcomes. Technical and specialised textiles received particular emphasis as a route to higher-value production and reduced reliance on conventional, price-sensitive exports.
Marriott’s focus on sustainability comes amid growing scrutiny of environmental performance, supply-chain transparency and responsible manufacturing in major apparel markets. Cleaner production, credible certification and internationally recognised testing can help Pakistani mills retain established buyers and protect market share.
Pakistan currently enjoys preferential access to the British market under the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), which offers eligible developing countries reduced or zero tariffs on a wide range of products, subject to product-specific rules and conditions. Textile and apparel exporters therefore have a strong interest in preserving those advantages while meeting origin, compliance and market access requirements.
Britain is a key market.