Textile industry pins high hopes on Prime Minister's address

The Punjab-based textile industry has pinned high hopes with Prime Minister's address with regard to the energy crisis, saying that the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif would definitely resolve their problem. The Punjab-based textile industry is presently exposed to 10 hours a day electricity load shedding. Not only this, the SNGPL has also reduced gas supply to the Captive Power Plants to two and a half days from earlier five days a week.
The industry is expecting a solution to its energy problem in the Prime Minister's address to the nation, delayed for another a day or so. Earlier, it was planned to be aired on Monday. However, the press reports suggest that the PM was advised to delay it until the holding of the Council of Common Interest meeting where a nod would be taken from all the four chief ministers. According to the industry circles, they are eager to see what the PM is going to offer in his address. They said the PM has himself hinted at ensuring seven days a week gas supply to the industry with certain terms and conditions.
The industry circles further pointed out that they were bearing a cost of about one million rupees a day on an average to generate electricity through diesel during the power outage. Presently, the industry is exposed to electricity supply during the wee hours.
Meanwhile, the industry had also approached to the Supreme Court against the Pepco decision of depriving the industry of electricity for 10 hours a day in line with the verdict of the apex court for equal load shedding to all consumers. However, no relief has so far been given by the Supreme Court. As a result, many mills have stopped their operations until Eid, hoping that the situation would be quite different in post-Eid scenario. They said the PM has himself visited the mill involved in gas theft and he had also listened to the worries of the labourers there. According to them, the PM had assured of fulfilling the energy need of the industry and his first-ever public address is the best occasion to unfold the plan.