KP textile millers for exemption from lockdown

Mar.31-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Textile Mills Association (KPTMA) has demanded of the provincial government for the exemption of textile mills of holidays or allowing operation at least for minimum level to fulfill the demands of exporters.
The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has constituted a task force for evaluation of overall impact including production losses and unemployment due to COVID-19 in the province and one of the terms of reference is also recommendation for exempting industries from the observance of public holidays announced due to COVID-19 situation.
The task has already exempted sugar, cement, tobacco, bottled water, pesticides, agriculture and pharmaceutical industry and their allied industries from the observance of holidays.
In a letter written by the Secretary KPTMA, Iftikharullah Marwat to the Special Assistant to KP CM on Industries and Commerce, Abdul Karim Khan, the association said that textile mills of the province also play pivotal role in the economic development of Pakistan and especially KP through exports as our member mills are export oriented units.
He said Operation of textile mills is a continuous process and can't be shut down suddenly and needs adequate time to close down the operation due to committed export agreements made by each mills with their foreign buyers.
The letter said that as per directions received from Labour Department of KP, KPTMA members have already closed down their operations. However, it is not possible for the mills to fulfill the commitments already made with their buyers to ship the consignments on stipulated time.
It said that the sudden closure of textile mills is very difficult for the member mills to operate and to generate sufficient cash flows to even cover day to day expenses, potential penalties of non-fulfillment of export agreements, mark-ups on bank loans, salaries and other expenses of the mills.
In addition to the above about 25000 workers employed in these mills would lose their jobs due to continuous closure of mills as well as almost 95% of workforce reside inside the premises of mills, where hygiene facilities and hazer allied facilities are being provided to them.
The canteen and food facility also remains inside the premises in accordance with the policy guidelines and intact shut down is leading to more concentration of workers inside the colony. The people who do not reside in the mills, their movement can be strictly restricted and production thereof be reduced accordingly.
In view of such situation they have requested the provincial government for allowing textile mills to resume their operations partially to fulfill the export commitments/agreements made before the spread of COVID-19.