What then is this Indus Technology Park? At the outset, it is worth mentioning that in view of the rising business management costs, communication and computerization have assumed priority for attention of the business houses, industries, and government organizations. Software technology is an essential component of an efficient communications network. Many Asian countries have captured a sizeable portion of this global business. India has developed vast infrastructure for evolvement of software technology at Bangalore which is India’s Silicon Valley.

5. The government should allow private Pakistany manpower promoters to set up offices and branches in Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Germany, Canada, USA, etc., so that the semi-skilled and skilled workforce can be exported and these offices and branches can monitor them and also look after their welfare. We can expect millions in foreign exchange from these expatriates’ earnings. One important thing that we should also concentrate on is to teach these skilled people a foreign language so that they are able to be effective communicators and are easily able to acclimatize in alien lands.

6. We have to gear up the deplorable education scenario. We have failed miserably in increasing the literacy rate and we have always relegated education to the lowest echelon in the order of priority. Moreover, our concentration should be on vocational training and in this respect we have to again involve private-public partnership. The Skill Development Council is a successful example of a private-public partnership in motion. The SDC is an autonomous body formed with the assistance of the Employers’ Federation of Pakistan, the World Bank, the International Labor Organization, and the National Training Bureau of Manpower Division, Government of Pakistan. It has been established for the prime purpose of identifying, developing, and facilitating vocational training programs to suit the needs of industry with maximum participation of employers. Over 2000 young people have been trained and placed in a little over two years.

In short, we have to get out of the cocoon and develop a serious export culture so that we can progress economically. In Pakistan, each morning when the sun rises and shines brightly, the officials start the day with "No, this cannot be done" intonations. There seems to be no positive attitude at any level of our national life. This is pitiable.

TT: As you know every year there is a tussle between cotton producers and the textile manufacturers and exporters on cotton export. The business community would like to know your suggestions to resolve this perennial problem?

MA: This issue crops up every year and there is lot of bad-mouthing much to the detriment of the country and a matter of concern to all. We must recognize that creation of employment opportunities should be the principal consideration. We should all talk about increasing agricultural production and we must inculcate the logic of optimum productivity per acreage. Let us look for ways and means to double and treble agriculture production. This should be done on a practical "industrial methods" style. We can increase output of cotton, rice, wheat, etc if we adopt and implement the latest techniques available internationally. If we increase the cotton production, we would be able to solve this needless controversy every year.

The government should come out with an assertive policy that any production over ten million bales could be exported. This is incentive enough for growers and also for raw cotton exporters to plan production in excess of ten million bales.

TT: The Prime Minister has recently appealed to the businessmen to raise US$ 5 billion deposits to avert default. We would like to know what should be the role of the business community at this stage where the country’s economy is teetering at the brink of collapse?

MA: Getting this figure from APTMA and other individuals and associations, is actually something which we should write-off as a joke. I pity APTMA supremo, Humayun Elahi Sheikh, who is being made a scapegoat for nothing. There is only ONE WAY in which the money can come into the country’s coffers. Peruse the list of Pakistan Billionaires (in US$) published by the Wall Street sometime back. The Premier should get dollars from them first and then talk about getting it from the business community (including those who are willful defaulters also). After the Foreign Exchange debacle, it would take all the convincing powers at the command of the Prime Minister or Humayun to cajole and coax the business community to shell out a million smackers each. Till then, forget it.

TT: Please let us know whether devaluation of currency is going to boost the exports of our country or not?

MA: Devaluation is not the only answer to increase the exports. We have seen that there has been no significant enhancement in the export figures after the periodic devaluation over the past months and years. The prices of inputs for exportable products should also be commensurately decreased. In fact, if there is to be any devaluation, then there should be a FREEZE on all prices in the country so that the exporters can offer very competitive prices to their buyers and thus get a bigger share of the importers’ orders. Of course, it is an historical fact that the government never devalues when the iron is hot, and when it does, it is generally less than the desired figure.

Nevertheless, when devaluation occurs, the foreign buyers demand a substantial reduction but the exporters have a problem with increased input costs and so they lose meaningful orders that could have been theirs if inputs were at competitive prices.

TT: Devaluation gives rise to inflation. Would you suggest ways and means to check inflation while introducing devaluation as a measure to increase exports?

MA: The country is still import-based, and with every devaluation the cost of imported goods will tend to rise. In this respect, the only reliable way to control inflation is to freeze the prices of inputs thru whatever ways it takes to achieve this. The government may consider reduction in import duties, or the government may resort to subsidies or, as it recently did, a 30% decrease in power rates for domestic consumers. Of course, if the Premier had made it an across the board reduction, then there would have been a major boost in industrial activity, something we all want so desperately. Devaluation is not the best way to achieve economic metamorphosis.

TT: GST is a burning issue. What ways and means would you suggest to simplify its working in the best interest of the economy, trade, and industry?

MA: GST should be paid at all stages of economic activity and should not be restricted to the import stage or the manufacturing stage. A more pragmatic approach would be to charge GST at, say, 1% to 5% at every level of trade. The percentage could be determined by multiplying 12.5% with the value addition of each sector. No input adjustments be allowed to anyone. Retailers should decide whether they want GST on turnover or on sales. The practice of charging GST at every stage should be encouraged and if everyone charges this tax, there should be no problem, and people would get used to this system as they did in other countries where they have imposed GST. Unfortunately, here no one wants to pay GST, even Rs 2.50 per working day. This is really a sad part of life. The retailers should allow this system to flourish because at the end of the day, it is the ultimate consumer who is bearing the extra tax, isn’t it? Instead, we should all fight to get the Wealth Tax eliminated because this tax is really a Retardation Tax.

TT: Would you please enlighten us with your views on IMF and World Bank conditionalities and modalities at this critical juncture?

MA: We have to dig deeper into our own system and contemplate the manner in which we got into the economic mess. The chickens have finally come home to roost and we have found this fact very late. We have to now decide where we stand and how we adopt and implement the prescription designed for us by the international lenders. We are burdened with an external debt of around US$ 40 billion and our annual exports are just 20% of the external debt burden.

We have to renegotiate out payment process at any cost. We must unilaterally declare a moratorium and negotiate a default mode for a period of atleast five years. We must get the foreign lending agencies and organizations to assist us in introducing this default mode and thru it to settle the liabilities and keep the wheels of industry in motion. A debt-rescheduling plan spread over a five year period can save us every year about US$ 4 billion and this money can be released to put into operation the various development plans. There should be a stern watch over imports. All frivolous imports should be discouraged and imports should be as much as the export figures for that year. There is a need to curtail non-development expenditures and there is a need to bring forth reduction in the ranks of government officials. We must tighten our belts and we must control the expenditure on activities that are not so urgently required for the good of the country.

The policymakers, especially the political hierarchy, must decide to cut down the bureaucracy, especially in the Federal Government, so that massive savings can be achieved. There should be a minimum number of ministries, preferably 5 or 6, such as defense, foreign affairs, finance, interior, while the provinces should be asked to maintain ministries in other areas.

We have to assert ourselves and we have to listen to good suggestions. If we still want money from IMF and WB, then we have to do what they want us to do. This is the bitter medicine we have to take if we want the role of these agencies in our country to be every where. We should, however, prepare plans to make the presence of IMF and WB just a formality. But who will bell the cat?

TT: Please let us have your personal and business profile for TEXTILE TODAY.

MA: Well, I was born in Karachi on August 15, 1950 in the Balagamwala family, the eldest of five sons and three daughters of Late A. Aziz H. Omer and Zubeida Bai. I am the President of MHG Group of Companies, which is a family-owned and operated group and we are in the textile, apparel, and shipping business. We make value-added fabrics in Iqbal Silk Mills (Pvt) Ltd, and high quality men’s and boy’s apparel in Delta Apparel (Pvt) Ltd under the brand name HUSTLER. I did my initial schooling in Little Folk’s School (I am a Founder Student) and St. Patrick’s High School. I did my Inter-Commerce in St. Patrick’s College, and then left for Muncie, Indiana, USA, in 1969 to do my B.S. in General Business Administration and M.A. in Management from Ball State University. My late father’s ambition in life was that all five sons should be US-educated, and in this respect, he achieved his objectives in flying colors.

I joined the family business on November 01, 1974 and I am celebrating my Silver Jubilee as an industrialist. I was and am involved in many business and social organizations, such as being the Chairman of SITE Association of Industry in 1990-91 and from September 07, 1998 and being on the Managing Committee of Employers’ Federation of Pakistan for 12 continuous years. I have been elected with the highest votes as Member of Managing Committees of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Pakistan Cotton Fashion Apparel Manufacturers & Exporters Association, and Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association. I was the Founder President of Karsaz Jaycees and won many international and national awards in the first year. I was also the President of Galaxy of Youth too.

I am very much interested in Child Labor issues and I have traveled to many places to speak on this subject and I have also written many papers on this subject. I have represented Pakistan at many international conferences on various subjects and was elected Vice Chairman of an important conference on Textiles, Footwear, and Clothing organized by ILO in Geneva in 1996. The USA government has sent me to America for three programs on Privatization, Garments, and Export Entry Strategies. I like to write a lot and I have been a regular columnist for Today eveninger and Politics & Business magazine. I enjoy writing letters to editors, mostly under various pen-names. I guess I am a speech writer too, since I write all my speeches and papers and also write speeches for others too.

TT: Any message that you would like to give the nation thru TEXTILE TODAY?

I would like to add that, alas, the country has been a victim of political expediency and of rule by political pygmies and dictatorial generals. We have never taken advantage of the opportunities available to expand our trade base. When we were fighting America’s proxy war in Afghanistan, and Washington was willing to give us anything we wanted, our rulers asked for guns and bullets instead of more textile quotas, loan write-offs, and other such economy boosting measures. We can surely salvage a lot more than extending our hands for free wheat under colonial style handout programs. However, as they say, better late than never. I would like to conclude with a couplet of Allama Iqbal, that our father recited when we asked him for advice: