While rejecting the option of electricity, the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) has conveyed to the government that non-availability of gas was going to bring export-oriented textile industry to a complete halt shortly.
Aptma's two-member delegation, comprising Mian Riaz Ahmed of Riaz Textile Mills and Mian Habibullah of D M Textile Mills, held a meeting with Director General Gas, Ministry of Petroleum, Saeedullah Shah, the other day and conveyed to him that switching over to electricity was not a viable option for the textile industry as it costs more than gas and the member units were considering to shut down their units in protest against disconnection of gas.
The delegation was of the view that non-availability of gas has put textile industry at complete disadvantage and continuation of the current situation would reduce its share in country's total exports.
The Aptma team pointed out that in the case of shut down of textile mills, the exporters will not be able meet their commitments and, the delegation demanded immediate restoration of gas to textile mills to help them play a pivotal role in earning foreign exchange for the country.
The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) had disconnected gas supply to textile mills on December 15 and recommended to the Aptma that its member units should switch over to electricity to maintain production. The company made nine-month contract a base for the disconnection.
Textile industry is a major foreign exchange earner of the country. It makes around 75 percent of total annual exports.
But it is not being given priority in gas allocation. Instead it is third in the priority list of gas supply.
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