The export-oriented leather sector has sent SOS to the federal government to save the industry from collapse due to massive load shedding by KESC in industrial areas.
The Chairman Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA) SZ, M. Khurshid Ahmed, said that losses of hundreds of millions of rupees feared in Tannery Zone in Korangi Industrial Area due to load shedding at this juncture when the tanners are required to work full time due to high season as they are tanning hides and skins after the procurement of raw material after Eid-ul-Azha.
"The power outage for over 8 to 12 hours per day will ruin all the raw material lying at the tanneries worth millions of dollars and leather exporters will not be able to fulfil their commitment in the international market," Khurshid said adding that KESC should earnestly declare Tannery Zone exempted from load shedding.
He resented the12 hours daily load shedding in Tannery Zone during post Eid- ul-Azha peak tanning season when tanneries are busy round the clock to process raw hides and skins of sacrificial animals reaching Tannery Zone in huge quantities would be disastrous for second largest export-oriented industry. "If the raw hides and skins are not processed at the earliest the same would go rotten and cause heavy losses of valuable foreign exchange."
During a meeting of PTA delegation held with Syed Nayyer Hussain Chief Strategy Officer (Distribution) and other senior officers of KESC it was promised that for at least 60 days following the Eid-ul-Azha, there would be no load shedding during the daytime working hours for the Tannery Zone. He expressed hope that in national interest the exporting leather industry located in Sector 7A Korangi Industrial Area would be exempted from current load shedding by the KESC.-PR