The industrial sector of Southern Punjab has come to a halt as gas supply has been suspended for indefinite period. The industries are without gas for the 13th consecutive day on Thursday while the Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) spokesman said that the supply has been suspended for indefinite period due to winter season. The authorities apprised that the decision to halt gas supply was taken after the difference between demand and supply was widened.
Crises have hit the industrial zone as eight days have already passed without gas and the production process in textile mills has reduced to nil. Some factories have resorted to utilize woods as fuel and are running the boilers by burning them as fuel. However, most of the factories are not functional for the past eight days that has adversely affected the daily-wage workers.
The workers as well as the industrialists in the city had strongly resented forced holidays due to week-long suspension of gas supply since December 8. The workers said that they have been thrown out of employment, as the industry cannot run without gas supply, which remains suspended for the last eight days. They have exhausted whatever savings they had and now they and their families are left to face starvation. Industrialists in the other hand complained that they are finding it difficult to meet their export orders as a result of suspension of gas supply that is incurring huge losses, while the country is also losing much needed foreign exchange.