Electricity, gas and water: government urged to ensure supply to textile sector

It is imperative that the government take urgent steps to provide electricity, gas and water to the Textile Sector - backbone of the nation's economy.
Endorsing the recent Press Appeals of APTMA to allow the textile sector to operate on full capacity, Rana M. Mushtaq Khan, Chairman, Value Added Textile Forum & Central Chairman, PHMA and M. Jawed Bilwani, Chief Co-ordinator, Value Added Textile Forum & Chairman, Pakistan Apparel Forum lamented that while the Textile Industry especially the value-added textile export sector is the largest contributor of foreign exchange and export earnings, generating the largest employment, it is on the verge of collapse due to severest ever load shedding of electricity and gas and shortage of water.
In the current global scenario and stiff international competition exporters are struggling hard day and night despite heavy odds against them battling to toe the line and meet their export commitments with stringent demands from their foreign buyers but unfortunately it seems that the government does not care at all how important it is for the exporters to earn the sorely needed foreign exchange for the nation.
They said there are large numbers of complaints of exporters of total breakdown of electricity, which is continuing for days and has completely disrupted production schedule and export commitments, spoiling their image with their foreign buyers. They appealed the government to take serious view of the mentioned facts and take immediate steps to resolve the crucial issue being faced by exporters on top priority basis.-PR