Suspension of gas, electricity: industrialists, labour unions observe 'Black Day'

More than 600 Industrial Units including textile processing, sizing, dyeing, finishing, stitching, packing industries have been closed for next 84 hours here on Friday morning at 06:00 AM, due to suspension of Gas Supply by Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL).
About 100,000 powerlooms remained closed on second consecutive week, because sizing industry is not in position to supply sized yarn to the Powerlooms Industry. Meanwhile 8 to 10 hour load-shedding of Electricity in industrial areas adding fuel to fire, while Industrialists and Labour Unions have observed Black Day. About 380 CNG stations of Faisalabad Region have also been closed for two days from Friday morning for next 48 hours.
The suspension of gas and electricity have halted industrial production activities, resulting thousands of daily wages employees lost their livelihood, while prevailing severe price hike yielding new records of poverty in the Punjab. Residents in different parts of the Industrial City complained about the low gas pressure affecting cooking and other domestic chores. Peoples most of them women took out procession and blocked the traffic by burning tyres in the middle of the roads.
The affected peoples strongly demanded immediate restore of gas supply of the city areas, where routine life of every home affecting due to non-availability of gas. The consumers demanded of the authorities to look into the matter and address it on urgent basis, as they are facing a cold weather ahead.
In a press statement, Salamat Ali, Chairman, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PHMA) North Zone said that the gas suspension plan would have a very negative impact on entire Industrial sector that was already passing through very challenging times due to acute shortage of electricity and bad of law and order situation.
Salamat Ali lamented over the high handedness of the SNGPL officials violating the PM directive and announcements in media. The prolonged gas shedding is high handedness of the SNGPL authorities, who are violating the PM directive, while present gas shedding schedule would push the export oriented and labour intensive Value Added Textile Industry towards collapse, he added.
Khawaja Shahid Razzaq Sikka, President, Mehmood Alam Jatt, Secretary, Anjuman-e-Tajran and other Trade organisations have expressed concern over the load-shedding of electricity & Gas and termed all the statements of the government pertaining to ending energy shortage for textile industry as rhetoric.
Sheikh Saeed Ahmad, Regional Chairman, All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association, Mian Ajmal Farooq, Vice Chairman, Khurrianwala Industrial Estate Association, Chaudhry Abdul Haq, Chairman, and Muhammad Akram Ghouri, Vice Chairman, All Pakistan Cotton Powerlooms Association (APCPA) also expressed grave concern over the load-shedding of electricity & gas and demanded to the government to save the industry and exports in the best interest of the country.