LAHORE: All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Punjab Chairman Aamir Fayyaz Wednesday thanked the government for supplying 24/7 gas to textile industry on affordable price.
"Punjab-based textile industry is thankful to Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Shahid Khaqan Abbasi for ensuring availability of gas on affordable price," he added.
Speaking to the media during visit of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) Managing Director Amjad Latif to APTMA Punjab office, he said the energy flow to Punjab-based textile industry was intact in Punjab after a period of six years.
"The availability as well as affordability of energy was a big issue for the Punjab-based textile industry. We appreciate the government for ensuring 24/7 gas supply to the industry," he asserted.
APTMA Punjab Chairman said the textile industry, particularly in Punjab, was facing a great disadvantage in the region and it was not able to compete with the competitors, however, the gas availability would now enable them to meet the challenges. "I am hopeful that this supply of gas will continue uninterrupted in future as well," he added.
He said reports like positive developments on different pipelines for port of gas from the region were very encouraging, adding that he was sure the industry need would be preferred in future, as only a level playing field would enable them to compete internationally."
Aamir Fayyaz claimed the industry exports could be doubled in next few years from USD 13 billion to USD 26 billion subject to an uninterrupted energy supply on affordable rate. It would also generate employment that might reach to 30 million from existing 15 million direct and indirect jobs. And Job creation was a must for attaining success in war on terror and there was no other way out, he maintained.
Chairman APTMA Punjab also thanked the SNGPL management for solving energy issue on the operational level by prioritising the industry. Textile industry was consuming 160 MMCFD RLNG, which might reach to over 200MMCFD if gas connections were provided to the remaining mills.
Speaking on the occasion, SNGPL Managing Director congratulated the industry for having full flow of gas, saying that the SNGPL was now in a position to supply gas to all sectors of the economy.
He said that 470 MMCFD RLNG (Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas) was available in the system and hoped that it would reach to 1200 MMCFD by the end of this year.
"Out of it, 160 MMCFD is being supplied to the textile industry, followed by 50 MMCFD to fertilizers sector, 20 MMCFD to the CNG sector and remaining to the power sector," he added. He said a consortium of banks was providing Rs. 70 billion loan for port of gas from different destinations.
Regarding new connections to the industry, he said a policy guideline would soon be finalised in this regard. He said a ratio of 6 percent Unaccount for Gas (UFG) was logical and the issue was pending with Supreme Court right now.
The SNGPL UFG was in a single digit and a new Gas Act was in place to expedite recovery of arrears.
To a query, he said the execution phase was under process on the Pak-Iran gas pipeline.
At the end, the APTMA Punjab Chairman also presented a memento to the MD SNGPL.
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