Spokesman of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has strongly rejected gas curtailment for three days a week by the SNGPL unilaterally from September 17. He has termed it a negation of the earlier arrangement of uninterrupted five days a week gas supply to the textile industry, assured both by the president of pakistan and federal minister for petroleum & natural resources.
The APTMA spokesman expressed fear that present curtailment of gas would lead to huge production loss to the textile industry. It is time for the textile industry to secure export orders for winter and fall seasons in western markets. The textile industry, therefore, cannot afford to suspend its operations due to non-availability of gas, he added. According to him, gas supply suspension, besides affecting exports, would also cause job losses to the textile workers. He said since the government has decided to pull out of the IMF program, it is imperative to let the textile industry perform to earn foreign exchange and maintain balance of payments.
The curtailment of gas in this critical situation is likely to hit textile industry’s potential to perform. Furthermore, the spokesman said the industry is hesitant to take decision for cotton procurement in the wake of gas curtailment by the SNGPL. Floods affected farmers are badly in need of cash to pay back expenses incurred in cotton sowing. A closure of textile mills for three days in this situation would hurt farmers’ interest and cause a setback to the whole textile value chain in the country.
