All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has asked the government to provide electricity at Rs 8 per kWh to textile units in Punjab along with uninterrupted power supply in the month of Ramazan. The association has also called for the continuation of the relief of Rs 3 per unit as part of the prime minister’s textile industry package.

Ali Pervaiz Malik, Punjab chairman of APTMA asked for the subsidy in power tariff as the textile industry of Punjab is unable to operate at an energy price higher than that of the other provinces. The association has asked for uninterrupted power supply as the mills will have to stop production during one and a half shift due to Ramazan fasts.

A delegation of 50 textile mill owners, led by Aamir Fayyaz, central chairman, APTMA and Gohar Ejaz, group leader, APTMA, will meet the finance minister in Islamabad to discuss the energy supply issue, said Malik while addressing the media after the APTMA Punjab general body meeting which was attended by owners of over 100 member mills.

Some textile units will be forced to sack workers as a shift is suspended due to load shedding during the month of Ramazan, he added.

The export growth witnessed by Pakistani textile industry in the recent times can reverse if the industry’s production is disturbed by load shedding. Malik also said that PM’s relief fund should be announced to cut power costs from Rs 10.5 to Rs 8 per kWh. He has also asked for the system gas quota to be enhanced from 28 per cent to 50 per cent to reduce the high price of RLNG.

The Punjab textile industry will have a tough time surviving with load shedding of 10 hours and high energy prices, said Pakistani media reports quoting Malik. (KD)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

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