Surat textile exporters stop business with Pakistan

The two biggest fabric markets in Pakistan are dependent on exports from India's textile hub Surat.

SURAT: Exporters from the country's largest man-made fabric (MMF) hub in Surat have stopped exports of fabrics to Pakistan in the aftermath of a dastardly attack by a terrorist of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) on a CRPF convoy in Jammu & Kashmir's Pulwama district a few days ago. Over 40 CRPF personnel were martyred in the attack by the terrorist of the Pakistan-based organization. Two biggest fabric markets in Pakistan- Azam cloth market in Lahore and Lucknow market in Karachi- depend on polyester fabrics, saris, lenghas and dupattas imported from Surat. Many shops in these markets have signboards that say they sell saris and dress material imported from Surat. 
Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (SGCCI) textile committee chairman Devkishan Manghani said, "A delegation from Surat had visited Azam and Lucknow markets in Karachi and Lahore last year. Majority of traders import cheap saris, lenghas and other fabrics from Surat and sell them after value addition. Small traders, there will be finished if our exporters don't supply raw material to them." 
Even foreign companies dealing with textile companies in Surat have taken a tough stand against Pakistan after the terror attack in Pulwama. Laxmipati Group managing director Sanjay Saraogi told TOI, "Our company uses fiber manufactured by an American company. This American company supplies the fabric manufactured by us to Pakistan and they had a sales office there. We told our American counterparts to stop the fabric supply to Pakistan or else we will not use their fiber after Pulwama attack. The American company shut down its Pakistan sales office two days ago." 
Lucky Gondalia, owner of Gondola Textile Exports, said, "After the dastardly attack on our soldiers in Pulwama, we have severed business links with Pakistani traders. Earlier, we used to export saris, dress material, lenghas, bemberges and bleech fabrics to the tune of over Rs4 crore per annum to them." 
Even foreign companies dealing with textile companies in Surat have taken a tough stand against Pakistan after the terror attack in Pulwama. Laxmipati Group managing director Sanjay Saraogi told TOI, "Our company uses fiber manufactured by an American company. This American company supplies the fabric manufactured by us to Pakistan and they had a sales office there. We told our American counterparts to stop the fabric supply to Pakistan or else we will not use their fiber after Pulwama attack. The American company shut down its Pakistan sales office two days ago." 
Lucky Gondalia, the owner of Gondalia Textile Exports, said, "After the dastardly attack on our soldiers in Pulwama, we have severed business links with Pakistani traders. Earlier, we used to export saris, dress material, lenghas, bemberges and bleech fabrics to the tune of over Rs4 crore per annum to them." 
Srikant Mundra, the owner of Sudarshan Textile Private Limited, said, "We can't sell dresses to women of Pakistan many of whose husbands, brothers and relatives are killing our soldiers and civilians. Two days ago, we winded up our Karachi office. Earlier, we were supplying more than Rs10 crore worth of textile fabrics to Lahore and Karachi."