I’ll be blunt and direct — there’s no room for comforting illusions when it comes to export growth. The world thrives on exports. This isn’t new, and it’s not up for debate. So, let’s begin with the first consensus: exports are essential for economic survival.

The second consensus is clear: textiles are the backbone of Pakistan’s industrial economy. They’ve long driven growth, jobs, and foreign exchange — but that foundation is now weakening in the absence of sustained policy support needed to remain globally competitive.

Here’s the third and perhaps most urgent consensus: if exports are vital — and textiles are their engine — then supporting this industry isn’t optional. It must be treated as a national economic priority, not something to be strangled by misguided policies.

Yet Pakistan’s largest exporting sector is under siege by its own policymakers. While other countries are racing toward industrialisation, we are sliding into premature deindustrialisation. Why? Because Pakistan hasn’t even begun to prioritize export growth and instead treats its most valuable export sector with neglect — and at times, outright hostility.

The consequences are visible. The textile industry is unraveling, and the numbers speak for themselves. Textile exports fell 14.6% month-on-month in April 2025 and 1.4% year-on-year. Net textile exports dropped from USD 14.08 billion in FY2024 to USD 13.6 billion in FY2025, as imports of cotton, yarn, and greige fabric surged from USD 2.1 billion to USD 3.6 billion.

Since the irrational tax measures of Budget 2024, over 120 spinning mills have shut down, with many others operating below 50% capacity. Millions of jobs have been lost. More and more skilled labour is leaving the country as large-scale manufacturing is in retreat, with output shrinking 1.9% during July–February FY2025, compared to a 0.4% contraction last year.

With over 55% of our total exports stemming from textiles, the sector’s strategic importance should be unquestionable. Yet it is being treated as expendable.

Policymakers may speak of “reforms,” but any policy that undermines exports is not reform — it is a strategic blunder. The widening gap between rhetoric and reality is pushing the sector to the brink. The problems are well known, but they must be stated again — clearly, urgently, and without euphemism.

Energy is the sector’s most urgent crisis - no export industry can survive without reliable, affordable supply. At the core of the textile industry’s collapse is a deliberate pricing-out through inconsistent and inflated energy costs. While competitors like Bangladesh, India,........

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