The US$5bn investment to create the textile units is part of the government’s ‘Make-in-Pakistan’ policy, a plan to grow industrial activity in the country.

Abdul Razak Dawood, adviser to the Prime Minister on commerce, confirmed the news in a tweet adding the investment would enhance export capacity.

A local news report, citing Shahid Sattar, secretary-general and executive director of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association, said the investment would be used to enhance the value-added offering of Pakistan’s textile industry and would boost productivity in sectors from spinning to stitching.

The capacity utilisation and price increase in international markets would help increase textile exports.

“We are hoping the textile exports will be increased from $15.5 billion in last fiscal to $21 billion during the current fiscal year,” he added, according to the report.

In its most recent set of import data, the US Department of Commerce’s Office of Textiles and Apparel (OTEXA) revealed of its top ten supplier countries, Pakistan had booked the largest increase in shipment volumes of apparel during August.