Pakistan’s exports of readymade garment increased 32.77per cent in 2018-19. Exports of knitwear increased 15.52 per cent in the same period.

The country is taking steps to attract foreign and domestic investment and revive sick units in the textile sector. The installed capacity of the manufacturing sector will be increased to enhance competitive import substitution, export enhancement, employment generation and revenue generation. The US-China trade war has positively impacted textile exports from Pakistan. Global value chains, especially in the textile sector, are realigning in the US market due to the high tariffs against Chinese imports. This realignment is providing an immense opportunity to Pakistan’s textile industry to integrate into the value chains, which will exponentially contribute in enhancing exports of the country. A policy paradigm is being worked out for upward growth of the manufacturing sector. An industrial policy will assist the industrial sector in improving its growth by effective allocation of resources.

The economy still centers around production of cotton, a commodity, while manufacturers have been slow to embrace automation. But those that have gained a global foothold may benefit from the country's depreciating currency -- the rupee has lost a third of its value in the last two years, which makes Pakistan exports cheaper.