Load-shedding is causing over Rs 2 billion financial loss daily to the industries located in Sheikhupura Industrial area, which in turn, has forced many factories to lay-off workers.
Sheikhupura Industry Association Convenor, Manzoor Malik told Business Recorder here on Wednesday that factories in Shekhupura Industrial area were facing 17-hours daily load-shedding which, he added was unprecedented.
There were around 900 big and small industrial units in the area, contributing billion of rupees to the national exchequer annually, but unfortunately their grievances have remained unattended since long, he said. He added that due to power shortage, industries were forced to exercise the option of lay-offs.
He said that if load-shedding was unavoidable, the authorities concerned should have consulted the industries' management and briefed them in this regard giving enough time to make their plans to minimise losses.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that dozens of industrial workers laid-off by the factories staged protests against load-shedding on Lahore-Sheikhupura Road on Wednesday. They chanted slogans against the authorities and urged them to stop load-shedding immediately to avoid further lay-offs.