Chairman, All Pakistan Bedsheet & Upholstry Manufacturers Association (APBUMA), Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi has said the management of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has reportedly extended gas holiday for the industry in Punjab by one-and-a-half-day from Sunday, in blatant violation of a presidential order issued just a month back under which the sector was getting five days a week uninterrupted supply.
He said in a press statement issued here on Tuesday, the SNGPL management has formally issued a notice to the quarters concerned, asking them to provide gas to the industry in the province for three and a half days a week, changing the earlier five-day supply schedule.
He said on February 27, President Zardari had directed the authorities concerned, in a meeting attended by the managing directors of the SNGPL, PEPCO and All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) Chairman Gohar Ijaz, to provide gas to the industry for five days a week. But, the SNGPL authorities could follow the president's orders only for a month.
The SNGPL decision is yet another shock for the industrialists and the business community, already reeling under the gas cuts. Roomi former Punjab Minister for Industries said the federal government adopted a discriminatory attitude towards Punjab's industrialists.
"We are surprised why the government is depriving only Punjab business community of gas. In Sindh the government is providing uninterrupted gas to the industry as well as the general consumers round-the-clock," he deplored. He said Aptma had earlier announced a 'long march' on March 5 against the government for massive gas loadshedding in Punjab. But, it postponed the march after the Law Minister Rana Sanaullah assured the industrialists that Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif would take up the matter with the federal government.
Roomi said President Zardari also took notice of the situation and ordered the quarters concerned to supply gas to Punjab industry for five days a week and observe loadshedding for the remaining two days. "President's intervention helped the industrialists run their businesses smoothly, but the recent SNGPL move that increased loadshedding duration by one and a half days is a clear violation of his orders," he added.
He said a number of textile mills had already been closed due to power and gas shortages, leaving thousands of workers jobless. Roomi demanded of the government to immediately look into the matter and ensure implementation of president's orders. "The government must remember that we have only postponed our long march and not cancelled it," he warned.
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