All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has rejected 20 days suspension f gas supply to industry by the SNGPL under its gas load management plan and said that it would lead to the layoff of one million workforce and export loss of $1.3 billion.
APTMA spokesman said the SNGPL has announced the load management schedule without taking the textile industry into confidence. APTMA fears that all textile mills will be closed during the gas load management programme for Annual Turn Around (ATA) of Qadirpur Gas Field that would hit ten million workforce. It would also affect the textile industry capacity to procure cotton, he added.
He said the textile industry was already facing huge inventory losses due to crash of cotton price in the international market. This situation is already translating into huge Non Performing Loans (NPLs) worth Rs600 billion so far, said the APTMA spokesman.
According to him, the textile industry is already running 30% below capacity due to energy constraints, ultimately affecting industry's potential to grow fast and earn foreign exchange for the national exchequer.
He said the SNGPL was already observing two days load shedding of gas for textile industry. The SNGPL should continue with this schedule, as ensured by the highest office of the country in the presence of former MD SNGPL Abdul Rasheed Lone.
He said the textile industry cannot afford closure of units for a single day. He said the textile industry operates 24/7 worldwide and it is not closed on events like Eid. However, he said, the industry would close operations from 31st August to 3rd of September due to Eid. But any further closure beyond this period would be unacceptable, he stressed.
APTMA spokesman said the government and the SNGPL should adopt a prudent gas load management programme during the ATA of Qadirpur Gas Field in the larger interest of industry, employment and exports.
All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA)
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