Worst loadshedding hits productivity

REOCRDER REPORT

SIALKOT: The worst form of loadshedding is adversely hitting the industrial sector of this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry of the country resultantly the productivity has become standstill and posing threats of wide unemployment.

The surgical and hosiery industries are under stress and facing serious problems in continuing the productivity and accomplishing the foreign orders. Sialkot is earning 1.5 billon US dollars through its export annually and strengthening the national exchequer as well as providing employment opportunities to thousands of workers including women folk. Apart from this, manufacturers as well as poor segment of the society are confronting with grim economic constraints but it was very unfortunate that the concerned quarters are ignoring this highly sensitive issue.

The industrial sector of any country always plays an instrumental role in not only earning foreign exchange for strengthening the economy but also providing job opportunities to the skilled, semi-skilled and educated persons. In this modern era, which is an epoch of economic war, most of the countries are providing concessions and incentives to their industrial sectors just to keep the economic wheel in top gear but unlikely in Pakistan the picture is very bleak and totally against as compared to the other countries because everyday the imposition of taxes and increase in petroleum and electricity prices had become a permanent feature. Foreign business is very important part of Pakistan's economy and Pakistan is doing business with many countries and its business practices have changed greatly over the years in order to attain best results.

A nation should export more than its imports and by virtue of this philosophy the business depends a lot on finding more avenues. Under prevailing situation one can easily assess that the industrial sector of the country is moving ahead without any line of action because nobody especially exporters and manufacturers are exploiting their own resources and interactions for fetching foreign exchange for the country.

Local industrial sector is facing loadshedding 16 to 18 hours daily as a result of which the production of exportable products is at the lowest ebb and exporters and manufacturers are confronting with mental torture and financial constraints because they are failed in completing foreign orders in stipulated period. Furthermore, the foreign buyers are reluctant to give new orders to the Pakistani exporters and manufacturers due to uncertain condition of electricity in Pakistan.

Most of the key buyers are considering shifting their businesses from Pakistan, which will be a serious blow to national economy and ultimately Pakistan will not lose its international credibility but also lose international market.  Sialkot is known globally for producing value-added and standard products but the government has failed in taking remedial measures for protecting the industry from loadshedding. In order to avoid crippling of industrial sector there is an immediate need of providing inexpensive electricity to the industry as well as to minimise the growing miseries of the poor segment of the society.

Despite of long loadshedding WAPDA is receiving full electricity charges from the consumers, which is unjustified. The unscheduled long loadshedding is also affecting the small businessmen and persons working on daily wages besides hospitals, clinics, tailoring shops and many other sectors are directly under the clutches of loadshedding and patients, customers and general public are facing hardships.