Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) has threatened to launch protests in the coming days, in view of the failure of Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited (SNGPL) in addressing the gas loadshedding issue faced by textile producers in the province of Punjab.
The decision to launch protest was taken during the general body meeting of PTEA, where all sections of the association showed their willingness to do anything, including staging a protest in front of Parliament and blocking roads across the province, if the gas loadshedding issue was not resolved.
Addressing reporters after the meeting, PTEA Chairman Asghar Ali said the textile industry received gas hardly for five and half days during last month and this month the industries have not received any gas at all.
He contended that in spite of Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr. Asim Hussain’s promise of providing 25 percent gas supply to the textile industry, SNGPL has completely halted gas supply to the industry.
This has pushed the industry on the brink of closure, as severe energy crisis has compelled them to halt their production. As a result, the textile industry is not being able to timely execute its export commitments, he added.
Noting that around 80 percent of the textile industries are concentrated in Punjab, with millions of people depending on them for livelihood, Mr. Asghar said that by overlooking the industry, the Government is doing injustice to several people.
The PTEA chief voiced apprehension that the situation may cause them to cut their export targets by 25 percent. He said Pakistan accounts for only US$ 14 billion of world’s US$ 800 billion textile trade, and this share is likely to decline further if the energy crisis continues.
He urged the Government to introduce necessary measures to rescue the country’s textile industry by immediately restoring gas supply.
