Textile units to remain closed for two days

Textile processing and printing mills, sizing units and foundries will remain closed for two days on Monday and Tuesday due to gas shedding, while 380 CNG stations of Faisalabad region were remained closed their Business owing to gas shedding, here on Sunday.
Furthermore, unemployment is growing day-by-day because industrial units are closing their business and observing lay off due to financial crunch and unfair doing business. All Pakistan Cotton Powerlooms Association (APCPA) confirmed that more than 50,000 looms have been closed so far due to prolonged multiple crises, while others are functioning in single shift.
Talking to newsmen, Mian Ajmal Farooq, Acting Regional Chairman, All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association alleged that Federal Ministers agreed for one day gas shedding for industries at across the board, but government and SNGPL not honour their promises. Gas pressure in most of the industrial units is very low here on Sunday one before of gas shedding of two days Monday and Tuesday, he mentioned.
He said that the low gas pressure is damaging the imported state of art valuable machinery of textile processing Industry, which is creating so many problems industrialists. Ajmal Farooq said that the present atmosphere is not supporting small and medium scale value added textile industry. Resultantly investment in industrial sector is drowning on one hand, while foreign buyers are avoiding coming Pakistan for fresh investment, on the other side, he added.
He demanded that the cabinet decision for levy of the Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST) regime and flood surcharge should be withdrawn in the national interest to save the textile industry, which is already a subject of multiple taxes and still waiting for their refunds claims of billion rupees pending at for payment.
Mian Ajmal Farooq demanded that the tax net should be broadened without any discrimination and big Agricultural land lords should be booked to pay their share in National development and GDP.
Choudhry Salamat Ali, Chairman, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA) North Zone expressed grave concern over the decision for two days gas shedding in each week and this decision will ruined Value Added Textile Industry of the country, while the sky rocketing Petroleum Prices, Energy crisis, including load-shedding of electricity & Gas, Shortage and Black marketing of Cotton and yarn, growing lawlessness irked the industrialists and business community.
He pointed out that due to multiple crisis hosiery units are also closing and machinery converting into scrap. The industrial investment was falling due to deteriorating law and order situation, which is showing decline of 30 percent. Due to ongoing Multiple Crisis of sky rocketing price of essential food items, 94 percent increase in electricity tariff and more 13 percent in Gas from January 2011, strong protection the monopolists and speculators by the government is increasing miseries of the public especially daily wagers, who have no alternative for livelihood.
Choudhry Salamat Ali urged the government to develop an atmosphere conducive for trade and industry and demanded for protecting export oriented and labour intensive industries.
He strongly demanded the government should be stopped the export of cotton and yarn with immediate effect to save industry and their millions workers. He also rejected the Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST) regime and Flood Surcharge, which will be create serious problems for sick textile industry.
Choudhry Abdul Haq, Chairman and Muhammad Akram Ghouri, Vice Chairman, All Pakistan Cotton Powerlooms Association (APCPA) said that Powerloom Units are facing acute shortage of yarn in the domestic yarn and hoarders are selling yarn in black market.
Multiple crisis crushed the weaving industry and so far 50,000 looms have been closed, while others running in single shifts. Talking to newsmen, Osama Tariq, General Secretary, National Textile Workers Federation said that the export of cotton yarn at large scale has resulted closure of thousand of textile industries and unemployment of thousands of workers in the textile sector.
He said that the rulers have been failed to take decisions in the public interest, resultantly, Pakistan is losing export market on one hand, while great financial loss to the national exchequer on the other side. This situation is also affecting the garments, hosiery and power loom industry. Load shedding of gas and electricity is adding fuel in the fire in aggravating unemployment and closure many industries including textile sector which is causing great unrest among the working class since who are unable to make both ends meet.