Chairman All Pakistan Bedsheets & Upholstery Manufacturers Association (APBUMA), M Anees Khawaja, has expressed deep concern over the increase of 12 percent electricity and 18 percent gas tariffs, despite the fact that the export oriented textile sector is already under stressed due to the depressed international economic situation.
On the other hand 12-14 hours unscheduled load-shedding of power and closure of gas is badly hindering the overall productivity resultantly all the exporters are facing difficulties to compete the export orders in time.
In a press statement issued here on Tuesday he said that he strongly opposed the increase of tariff which would create serious problem for industrial sector and ultimately the exporters would consider closing their industrial units to save their heavy investment.
He further said that owing to current increase, the input cost of raw materials like yarn and others would increase which under these circumstances may trigger the collapse of entire industry. Chairman APBUMA said that the load shedding crisis is highly damaging exports considered backbone of the country's economy as it would not be able to follow delivery schedule with the natural result of loosing big chance of recapturing international markets of textile items if the situation remained the same.
M Anees Khawaja lamented that such action would protect the vested interests of gas companies, which leads to increase the cost of production and doing business and would further narrow down their profitability.
He said that the authorities must consider the fact that business is already squeezed owing to poor law and order situation due to which the foreign buyers are reluctant to visit, consequently exporter have to arrange business meeting in other countries which further adds to cost. He appealed the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to fix separate electricity and gas tariff for textile sector otherwise the country will suffer irreparable loss to earn foreign exchange.