FAISALABAD: All Pakistan Textile Sizing Industry Association held a press conference under the title of “Industry bachao, Mazdoor bachao”.
Shakeel Ahmed Ansari, Mian Muhammad Ajmal, Bao Akram, Waheed Khaliq Raamay, Baba Latif, Rana Tahir and others attended the press conference and expressed solidarity with the owners of the demolished industries. The anti-industry measures of the government will not only stop the production process completely, but the storm of unemployment will also make the law and order situation very disturbed.
This was stated by All Pakistan Textile Sizing Association Chairman Shakeel Ahmed Ansari while addressing at a press conference called against the destruction of industries. He said that due to the instability and unaffordable electricity tariff for the past several years, more than sixty percent of the industrial establishments have already closed down, most of which were power looms and sizing units. He said that no one is ready to buy the remaining institutions even at the price of iron.
He said that despite this crisis situation, the few remaining industries are being demolished by the government agencies under the guise of environmental pollution. He said that due to the demolition of the industrial units, the industrialists are in fear and they think that their turn may come in the future. He urged the owners of the industrial units to immediately adopt a concerted plan to curb the rampant demolitions so that this trend can be stopped immediately.
He said that extreme measures against minor polluters are condemnable and such measures should be avoided in future. He said that the government has not only made thousands of families unemployed by demolishing two sizing units in Faisalabad Small Industrial Estate using smog as a basis, rather, the foundation has been laid to destroy the rest of the industry. Not only Faisalabad, but this is the first incident of its kind in the history of Pakistan, in which the entire industry was demolished instead of taking legal action like sealing or shutting down. Whichever is condemned is less.
He said that I and you can be the next victim, so all the organizations of Pakistan have to come on one page to save the industry. For which I strongly appeal to all the organizations of Faisalabad to call their meetings Plan the future and play your part in saving the industry.
He said that the small industry cannot run in these conditions, if the government wants to run the small industry, then the loss of the two industries to be demolished should be cleared first and the future plan should be decided with us. He said that the Sizing Association will immediately hold a meeting on the current situation and announce its next course of action. The formula that will be decided in the meeting through mutual consultation will be implemented in every way, whether it is a call for dharna or a protest, we will not rest until our demands are met. He said that already lakhs of workers have become unemployed due to industry shutdown, further such measures will shut down the stoves of thousands of families. Therefore, our government appeals to refrain from taking such measures, we should not be forced to come out on the streets.
Chairman Power Looms Association Waheed Khaliq Raamay said that the cruelty and brutality shown by demolishing our factories is unprecedented. You have become so cruel that you don’t even see the employment of thousands of families is associated with it, the stoves of millions of homes are burning, thousands of families have been made unemployed in a few minutes.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024