Pakistan textile exporters call for urgent gas import

06 Aug '12

2 min read

Textile exporters in Pakistan have called on the Government to urgently import gas to meet the probable supply shortfall, and thereby to ensure smooth operation of the country’s economy.

Speaking at a joint meeting of Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) and Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association, Rana Arif Tauseef, Chairman PTEA, said continuous and effective gas supply is imperative for the country’s textile industry as fabric printing, processing and finishing – all depend on gas heating.

Also, in absence of electricity, gas serves as an alternative source of energy for the industry and an important base of production, he said.

The attendees at the meeting expressed surprise over shortage of gas even before start of winter season, and said it is a matter of concern. They said if the gas supply condition was actually as acute as being projected by the concerned authorities, the Government should immediately act to make alternative arrangements.

While on one hand gas short-supply is making it difficult for textile exporters to make timely deliveries, as production gets affected due to frequent power and gas outages, and on the other hand overseas customers are shifting their orders to other competing nations, participants at the meeting said.

Mr. Tauseef thus urged the Government to rightfully decide its priorities, as he said continuous gas supply for the industry is very much important to overcome the problem of energy crisis.

He said vast gas reserves that have been explored are still not been exploited, and hence the Government should prioritize execution of these projects to fulfil the widening gas demand-supply gap. Prolonged power and gas outages, is also hampering optimum utilization of machinery worth billions of dollars, as these cannot be operated in the absence of fuel, he added.

He called on the Government to speed up its efforts to overcome the energy crisis, and said that textiles constitute a major portion of Pakistan’s exports, and without resolving the energy crisis issue that the industry is enduring at present, it is not possible for the country to achieve targeted growth levels.

Fibre2fashion News Desk - India

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