Gas curtailment plan irks Pakistan textile industry

28 Nov '13

2 min read

The Pakistani textile industry has expressed serious concerns over the upcoming gas supply disruption for next three months from December 2013 to February 2014, stating it would result into shutdown of many factories producing textiles.

At a joint press conference of the Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA), Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA), Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), All Pakistan Bedsheet and Upholstery Manufacturers Association (APBUMA), Khurrianwala Industrial Estate Association (KIEA), All Pakistan Textile Sizing Association (APTSA) and the Loom Owners Association, industry leaders termed the upcoming gas curtailment plan as a deliberate attempt to shatter the whole industrial chain.

During the press conference, PTEA chairman Sheikh Ilyas Mahmood said uninterrupted power and gas supply are imperative for continuous functioning of the textile industry in Pakistan.

Severe gas shortage at the very start of the holiday season, when the industry meets good overseas demand, would badly hit the sector’s exports leading to massive closure of textile industries in the country resulting in high scale redundancy and industrial unrest, he added.

Further, noting that around 80 percent of the textile units in the country are concentrated in Punjab, he said that by overlooking Punjab industries the Government is ignoring a big part of the industry.

The PTEA chairman added that against 302 days in 2008, gas supply to the industry has dropped to 114 days in 2013.

Mr. Mahmood urged the Government to take urgent cognizance of the matter and immediately intervene and reverse the industrial gas supply cut decision enabling the industrial wheel moving and exporters to fulfil their commitments with foreign buyers, failing which the country would lose not only direly needed precious foreign exchange but also export markets which will be captured by rival countries.

Echoing the PTEA chairman’s sentiment, the Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) leader Gohar Ijaz, and APTMA Punjab chairman SM Tanveer have also called upon the Government to give a second thought to the decision as the gas supply cut would not only affect the industry but the Government would also lose out on many opportunities because of it.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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