In a bid to save the industry from total collapse and ensure adequate power supply to keep its wheel moving, the ministry of textile industry has decided to raise the issue of regular electricity supply with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, it is learnt.
Official sources revealed to Business Recorder that Textile Minister Abbas Khan Afridi wrote a letter to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last week seeking time to raise power supply issue, being faced by the industry. The Ministry has not received any response till now, however it is expected that a meeting is likely to take place in next two days where the issue would be discussed and seeking maximum relief for the industry.
A delegation of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) comprising S.M Tanveer, chairman APTMA Punjab, Seth Akbar vice chairman APTMA and Ali Ahsan senior member APTMA met the minister for Textile Industry Abbas Khan Afridi and apprised him of the prevailing power supply situation, being faced by the industry.
Talking to Business Recorder, Seth Akbar said the minister was informed that about 50 textile mills have been shut as they are running in losses due to inadequate power supply while jobs of millions of people are at stake. He further said that there is fear that more mills would stop working as power loadshedding is becoming unbearable and the industry is facing a total collapse. Seth further said that the industry is ready to bear burden of 8 hours load shedding however currently power was not available for about 16 hours. He said that the textile minister assured the delegation to raise the issue in next two days with the Prime Minister and would try to get maximum relief for the industry.
Earlier talking to the delegation, Minister Abbas Khan Afridi said that the textile industry is in fact the bread winner for the country and the government is trying its level best to facilitate the textile sector. The government values revival of economy, therefore textile industry holds foremost importance. The Minister added that the government commitment is clearly reflected in the budget incentives announced for the textile industry.
The APTMA delegation urged the minister to find some way out as the businesses are being ruined at the hands of power outages. The APTMA delegation lamented an inadequate electricity supply for the last one year and the rising unemployment due to the laying off of shifts. The delegation highlighted that to reap maximum benefits from GSP plus status, uninterrupted power supply is imperative.
The minister assured the delegation that in the month of Ramazan the load shedding hours would be reduced to 8 hrs. The minister stated that he understands the problems faced by the textile units and that he would take up the issue with the Prime Minister and Minister for water and power soon. The minister admitted that no doubt the conditions are tough but he envisages a prosperous future for the country and textile industry in particular.
Comments
Comments are closed.