Gas loadshedding for Faisalabad industrial sector: over 600 units to close for 72 hours

The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines (SNGPL) has started gas loadshedding for industrial sector of Faisalabad Region for 72 hours from Sunday morning, which will continued till September 28 morning. In this way, gas supply to more than 600 industrial units, most of them of textile sector, will be closed for 72 hours, rendering thousands of workers unemployed including daily wagers.
Commenting on the situation, Salamat Ali, Chairman of Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA), North Zone, said that the three days gas load shedding in a week would plunge the upcountry textile exports to disaster and closure of industrial units will bring jobless labour, causing industrial unrest and worsening law and order situation in the country.
He said that textile industry is backbone of the national economy, which is facing deep crisis for the last one decade.
He pointed out that industrialists were expecting a practicable result by extending necessary incentives for the textile sector by the government, but it has failed to give its due priorities to export-oriented textile industry.
Salamat expressed grave concern over the recent increase in gas tariff by SNGPL by Rs 5.46 per million cubic feet (MMBTU) and SSGC by Rs 12.64 per MMBTU as this decision would put further burden on the exporters and manufacturers already groaning under heavy cost for doing business.
He said that load shedding of gas and electricity has practically crippled the textile sector, while power production set all time new high record of the country through HSD costs Rs 18.31 per unit and through furnace oil Rs 14.84 per unit.
He also expressed concern over the news of planning to raise further power tariffs by Rs 3.06 per unit approximately 38 percent by Central Power Purchasing Agency (CPPA) and National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra), which will be creating more problems for industry and public.
Salamat said that instead of fulfilling its commitments for continuous supply of electricity and gas in addition to resolving other problems on top priority the government has enhanced the duration of gas load shedding for three days in a week plus highest tariff. He said that textile exporters and manufacturers were seriously doing their efforts to increase textile exports but without government help it was unable to achieve the export targets set for this year.
He said that high mark-up rate of banks and high cotton and yarn prices have further aggravated this situation and the industry is now on the verge of collapse. He warned that closure of industries would not only open the floodgates of unemployment but would also deprive the government of the much-needed revenue. He demanded a workable relief package for the industrial sector so that the new job opportunities could be created for the jobless youth.