Khawaja Muhammad Jalaluddin Roomi, Chairman of All Pakistan Bedsheet & Upholstery Manufacturers Association (APBUMA), while responding to the news of gas suspension to the industrial units of Punjab for an unspecified period of time, said that this decision will cause an irreparable loss to the textile sector of the country.

Roomi said, "In addition to (the fact that) frustrated masses will suffer in the form of unemployment, this decision will cost billions of rupees to our economy."

He showed his concerned about the policy being practised to overcome shortage of gas and making industrial sector of Punjab an escape goat in the name of so called load management.

He pointed out that textile sector is the biggest stakeholder, not only in the economy, but also in matters relating to demand and supply of energy resources like gas and electricity.

He said that in the last six months of financial year 2010-11, textile sector substantially supported flood-affected economy and recorded a positive trend in export despite the factors like increasing trend in the bank interest rates, yarn prices.

He further said that in the post-flood scenario, textile sector emerged as a winner, but the suspension of gas is equivalent to undermining its importance.

APBUMA chairman feared that because of historic suspension of gas to the textile sector for 45 days even in the summer season, situation will worsen in winter because of limited supply of the utility.

He forecasted an estimated loss of about dollars five billion owing to the current shortage and suspension of gas.

He advised authorities in ministry of textile, finance, petroleum & natural resources to carefully allocate scarce resources such as gas to the sectors providing maximum output to economy, adding that textile sector is one of those industries.

Roomi stressed the need to prioritise national interests over political ambitions.

"Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd should immediately abandon its projects regarding gas supply to the rural areas, instead more gas be diverted to industrial sector than domestic consumers," he said.

"Suspending supply to the industrial sector of Punjab means paralysing 70 percent of the textile industry, denying livelihood to millions of daily wages workforce and finally agitation which we could not afford in these circumstances".

He requested honourable Prime Minister and minister of textile industry to kindly consider the matter seriously and restore the supply to the industrial sector of Punjab on priority basis.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2010

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