APTMA Punjab Chairman Shahzad Ali Khan has said that textile industry in Punjab is under serious threat of capacities closure due to gas supply suspension on the one hand and six to eight hours announced/unannounced electricity load shedding on the other.Reduction in gas supply from five days to two days a week has already played havoc with the industry.
Now the phenomenon of unannounced load shedding is going to intensify the situation further and the textile millers are not clear whether to continue operations for five days a week in the absence gas supply and uncertain availability of electricity to mills or lay off the workers in Punjab.
The prevailing uncertainty is fast eroding the viability of the Punjab-based industry.The textile industry is mainstay of the Pakistan economy and 75 percent of the production units are Punjab-based.But severe energy shortage in Punjab is hitting the textile industry worst despite the fact that the textile units are on independent feeders and paying 100 percent electricity bills.
But still,it is ironical that no uninterrupted supply is being ensured to textile industry in Punjab yet.There is urgent need of prioritizing the considerations to not only save the industry but enable it to avail the trade opportunities arising out fresh engagements with the Europe,China and India.Also,an uninterrupted energy supply to textile industry would bring$3 billion foreign exchange to the country that would sufficient to settle the balance of payment issue of the country without approaching to the IMF.
