Gas outages: textile products export may hardly fetch $12 billion: TMA chief

Export of textile products is faced with an alarming situation due to gas outages. It may hardly achieve dollars 12 billion as against dollars 14 billion achieved last year.
Chairman, Towel Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (TMA), Mehtabuddin Chawala said "during winter we were assured by the concerned authorities that during summer the supply of gas to industries will be normalised and even weekly closure will be waived off and complaint of low pressure of gas in industries will also be over but industries, unfortunately, are facing same situation and on top of that two weekly holidays have been announced by SSGCL."
It was really a bizarre situation, he said that although government realised gas shortages on the one hand and had banned new connections to industries, but on the other hand, it had recently issued licenses to 200 new CNG stations which, "in our opinion, is not justified particularly to export-oriented industries which not only fetch foreign exchange but generate employments as well and add to national kitty".
Besides, it is said that two-day compulsory gas supply closure for industries of Sindh is also announced by SSGCL from April 13, to May 12, which, in our opinion, would prove itself a final nail in the coffin of export-oriented industries. It would not only reduce foreign exchange earnings, Customs duty and taxes but also lead subsequent unemployment to youths as well as increase bankruptcy cases of export-oriented industries as those industries were designed on 24-hour running basis, he said.
Chawla said that due to present scenario "we are unable to fulfil export commitment of our buyers which gives negative impact of Pakistani exporters abroad. Further buyers are also reluctant to purchase merchandise from Pakistan. Last year our export was dollars 14 billion which Pakistan may hardly able to achieve this year, may be it remains at dollars 12 billion." In view of the circumstances, he requested to Caretaker Prime Minister former justice Mir Hazar Khan Khoso to please intervene in the matter immediately and issue orders for improving gas supply system, particularly to export-oriented industry.