Pervaiz condemns gas load-shedding to industries

LAHORE
Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Mohammad Pervaiz Malik has condemned the decision of three day gas load-shedding in a week and termed it as a step to annihilate the whole industrial sector.
Mohammad Peraiz Malik, in a press statement issued on Tuesday, said that the condition of trade and industry was already fragile due to baseless policies of the present regime and thought that the gas load-shedding policy would completely collapse the industry.
He expressed concern over the current crisis faced by the industrial sector including power shortage, high mark-up rates and the deteriorating law and order situation. He was exasperated over the gas load-shedding policy and thought that in presence of such crises, the government should have looked to provide some relief rather than taking steps which would further dampen production.
PML-N leader stated that textile sector was the largest export-oriented sector of the country and had a contribution of more than 60 percent in the total exports.
The SNGPL should have realised the significance of the textile sector and the decision to increase gas load-shedding from one day in a week to three days in a week should not have been taken.
He said that the textile sector was already facing heavy losses due to one day gas load-shedding and now a three day gas load shedding in a week would further reduce production and would make it impossible for exporters to meet export orders.
Consequently, foreign buyers would be transferred to other countries, financial crisis would deepen and inability to pay salaries and utility bills would lead to a closure of textile units.
He said it was unbelievable that a country enriched with vast natural gas reserves was undergoing gas shortage problems and blamed the government of not optimally utilising the available resources.
He added that despite gas being a major component of the textile industry, it was suspended in the winter season. He urged the SNGPL to look into the issue and assure continuous supply of gas to the industrial sector.