Industrialists, textile exporters, hosiery manufacturers, powerlooms owners and workers took out various protest processions against the continuation of two-weeklong gas and prolonged electricity loadshedding, which is yielding negative impact over the national economy. Protestors stated that the suspension of electricity supply to industrial units of Faisalabad will prove to be a last nail in the coffin.
The leaders of Textile Associations have sounded alarm bell of massive closure of industries in Industrial City, in case government fails to address the issue of gas and electricity supply till December 28. Continuation of gas and electricity loadshedding would compel to stop government payments.
Addressing a joint press conference, Asghar Ali, Chairman Pakistan Textile Forum said that non-serious attitude of the government was the root of the problem, which was negatively impacting the country's textile industry, which had an annual export turnover of 14 billion dollars and employed millions of workers. Announcing the protest schedule, he said that Textile Associations had given time to the government till December 28 to resolve the issue failing which industrialists, textile exporters, hosiery manufacturers, powerlooms owners and workers would take to the streets on the morning of December 29.
A big protest demonstration will be held at Khurrianwala and protest rallies will be brought across the city on December 31. Former PTEA chairman and Chairman Khurrianwala Industrial Estate Association Khurram Mukhtar said that severe shortage of gas and electricity would plunge the textile exports into disaster and textilers and workers would launch protest campaign in all major textile hubs across the Punjab, adding that wide scale closure of industrial units would bring jobless labour on the roads creating worsening law and order situation. "If the situation persists, it is likely to impact over 450 industrial units and more than 2.5 million workers and thus result in industrial unrest," he said.
He therefore demanded of the government to initiate steps to ensure adequate power and gas supply for the textile industry. Expressing the willingness to go to any extent, Syed Zia Alamdar Hussain, Vice Chairman, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association (North Zone) said they could even shut down the entire industry if the government had any such intentions. He said "the industry is backbone of the country. If the government is in no need of the industry, then we are ready to shut it down."
He said around 80 percent of the textile industries were in Punjab that employed 15 million people and by neglecting Punjab industries, the government was neglecting major part of the country's industry. "We fear a 25 percent cut in our export targets due to the crises," he added.
Addressing at the protest meeting, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mian Zahid Aslam said the electricity supply had been suspended by Fesco for about four days till to date. "In this regard FCCI will adopt other options if the electricity is not restored till December 28," he further disclosed. The majority of power-reliant mills are already closed due to unprecedented loadshedding. The industry is likely to lose around three-billion dollars export due to energy crisis.
FCCI Chief stressed the need that Hydel Power generation dams to be constructed on war footing basis to overcome the electricity crisis because unavailability of electricity and Sui gas coupled with high prices, industrial and textile sector is on the verge of collapse.
It is pertinent to mention that the jobless labour will further aggravate the law and order situation in Faisalabad, which might not be controllable by the law enforcement agencies. "Due to the high cost of doing business, the textile products had already become in-competitive in the international markets. The textile sector will not accomplish export production targets if energy crisis prolongs and concrete strategies will not be adopted by the government. EU concessionary package and trade with India will become meaningless in these circumstances," said Zahid Aslam. Earlier, textile workers have staged a strong protestation against loadshedding of electricity and gas. They also burnt effigies of Federal Ministers, blocked the city roads and raised slogans against the government.