Policy matters: Prime Minister directs all ministries to consult apex trade bodies

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has directed the concerned ministries to undertake extensive consultations with the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and other apex private sector bodies on policy matters, official sources told Business Recorder.
Prime Minister Secretariat issued these instructions to Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Textile Industry, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources, Ministry of Water and Power, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Industries and Production and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), after a delegation of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) complained to President Asif Ali Zardari on December 8, 2010 that their Association is not being take on board prior to formulation of national policies, sources said.
The main purpose of Aptma's meeting with the President was to inform him about the problems faced by the textile industry due to gas shortage, besides other issues related to expected shortfall of cotton production.
"Aptma Chairman Gohar Ijaz informed the President that Aptma, despite being the largest association in the country representing around 400 textile units, was not being consulted/associated in policy formulation and decision making process pertaining to cotton and textile industry," sources added.
The instructions issued by the Prime Minister Secretariat to the concerned ministries are as follows: (i) Aptma may be consulted/associated with policy formulation and decision making process relating to cotton and textile sectors; (ii) the impact of gas load management on textile industry may be assessed and corrective measures taken; and (iii) the FPCCI and other apex private sector bodies should be extensively consulted on policy matters.
A day before the meeting between the President and Aptma delegation, the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet was informed that, depending upon weather condition, industrial sector will observe 2-3 gas holidays per week or equivalent. It was thought that to ensure equality, the industrial clusters/estates including textile sector, shall be divided into zones for gas load management on a rotational basis.
However, when the issue came under discussion at the ECC meeting, it was observed that natural gas load management model followed during last winter worked well as people and industry had generally accepted it. Therefore, the same plan may be observed. The ECC also observed that by allowing additional gas supplies to energy sector, industrial sector would suffer adversely, causing widespread unemployment and cuts in export(s). Hence, there was a need to strike a balance while allocating gas to energy and industrial sectors, respectively.
After detailed discussion, in the light of the contacts between Aptma and top government functionaries, thde ECC approved the Petroleum Ministry's gas load management plan, on the condition that industrial sector will observe only two gas holidays per week. A couple of days ago, Aptma, in an advertisement, thanked the members of the ECC for ensuring gas supply for five days a week to the textile sector.