Government should take serious steps to call off weeklong goods transporters strike, which have put billions of rupees export orders on stake. Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) Chairman, Sheikh Ilyas Mahmood, Vice Chairman, Adil Tahir, Chairman KIEA, Khurram Iftikhar and President FCCI, Suhail Bin Rasheed warned in a joint statement that huge foreign orders would be cancelled due to this strike. Strike of goods carriers would not only result in huge losses to the exporters, but also to the national exchequer, they said.
They said a large number of export shipments ready to be shipped as per the deadline given by the foreign buyers, would not reach the ports in time due to strike. If the strike prolongs further, this would lead to great loss to the exporters, fearing cancellation of vital orders, they warned. Ilyas Mahmood said textile industry is already facing energy crisis, as there was acute load shedding of electricity and there was a threat of complete shutdown of gas supply to industries in coming days. Over 50 percent production capacity has already become redundant and massive lay off is underway, he said.
National economy relies heavily on textile exports and a crisis like situation is posing serious threat to the viability of the industry. The industry is not able to meet international commitments and failure to perform will lead to loss of valued customers, loss of market share as well as damaging Pakistan's reputation as a reliable supplier, Khurram Iftikhar said.
President FCCI said that strike would not only hurt shipments of export consignments but would also disturb import business as importers would be forced to pay demurrages for not clearing their consignments from the ports. PTEA, KIEA and FCCI urged the provincial and federal governments to intervene immediately and resolve the issue of transporters without any delay. If the strike will not be called off, the exporters will have to face huge financial losses.