Petroleum Minister, Dr Asim Hussain, has reassured the leaders of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), the gas supply of four days a week, during winter. This would further to up-graded to five days a week as new gas reservoirs are in place during next three months.
Minister was responding to the panic situation in textile industry in the wake of latest APTMA press ads, fearing colossal losses, due to likely disruption of gas supply ahead.
It may be noted that failure of Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) load management plan, envisaging supply suspension to industry during winter season on SNGPL network has panicked the textile industry. The industry has already faced a gas curtailment for 120 days during outgoing summer season of current calendar year, which means SNGPL has already curtailed gas supply to textile industry for more than 90 days.
Also, the gas supply curtailment for three days a week has crippled down 40 per cent of the installed capacity, which means if continued, some four million bales shall remain unutilised due to the forced closures. Cotton growers are already under pressure as textile mills are not in a position to procure two million bales at present due to energy shortage.