Chairman All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Punjab Shahzad Ali Khan has said that a delegation of APTMA leadership called on the Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to apprise him of the problems faced by the textile industry in Punjab due to unprecedented disconnection of electricity supply for consecutive nine days.
The APTMA delegation was represented by central Chairman APTMA Ahsan Bashir, himself and the Group Leader APTMA Gohar Ejaz. The Federal Cabinet members including Federal Advisor to Prime Minister on Petroleum & Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain, Federal Minister for Water & Power Ch Ahmed Mukhtar, Federal Finance Minister Dr Hafeez Sheikh, Federal Minister for Textile Industry Makhdoom Shahab-ud-Din and Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo were also present on the occasion.
He said the APTMA leadership made a detailed presentation on the problems faced by the textile industry in Punjab due to suspension of electricity supply to textile mills from December 22, 2012. He said the jobs of millions of textile workers were at stake due to power supply suspension for indefinite period. Also, he said, the textile industry was losing over $30 million a day on account of production forgone in Punjab due to energy crisis.
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said that a stable textile industry was the top most priority of the government and all out efforts would be made in ensuring energy supply to the textile mills. He ordered the Ministry of Water & Power to restore electricity supply of textile mills on independent feeders in Punjab for 16 hours on daily basis from 11:00PM Monday night.
The APTMA leadership has appreciated the Prime Minister and his Cabinet members for the restoration of electricity supply to the textile industry in Punjab. The APTMA leadership also lauded the efforts of Cabinet members in resolving Punjab-based textile industry problems due to energy constraints
