Chairman All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) Mohsin Aziz has urged the Islamabad Electric Supply Co (IESCO) officials to obey the order of higher authorities on electricity supply to textile industry on industrial feeders. He said both President Asif Ali Zardari and Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar have assured of no loadshedding on industrial feeders and if any, it would be no more than four hours a day.
Mohsin said all Discos are following the instructions in true letter and in spirit except IESCO where unannounced and unscheduled loadshedding for 12-14 hours a day is being observed since last a few days.
He said the textile industry was quite satisfied with the government decision of five days a week gas supply after intervention by the Minister for Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain and exemption from power loadshedding on independent and grouped feeders made by the President about a month back. Accordingly, he said, the textile exports had started showing improvement and chances of meeting export target were high.
However, he added, the latest attitude of IESCO officials towards textile industry has again affected heavily the production capacity of many industrial units, besides leaving the labourers jobless. He said the labourers are highly disturbed over the situation and are adamant to come on streets against the IESCO but the Aptma leadership is constantly restraining them while making repeated requests to the IESCO authorities, which unfortunately is falling on deaf ear. Chairman Aptma has urged Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar to take stock of the situation and ensure four hours a day announced loadshedding in the larger interest of national economy and textile industry.