Chairman All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma), Gohar Ejaz fears massive lay off in textile sector if gas availability to the textile industry is not ensured. The chairman Aptma said gas loadshedding has completely destroyed business environment in the country as export orders were being given to Sindh instead of Punjab where industries get uninterrupted gas supply.
He further said that most of the industries in different sectors use gas for heating processes and production of electricity under a nine month guaranteed supply agreement with the SNGPL. He said the SNGPL under the agreement has the right to stop gas supply in winter from November 15 to February 15.
The chairman Aptma said the Cabinet and the Prime Minister issued instructions on December 23, 2010 that not to subject at least the textile industry to gas loadshedding for more than two days a week even during severe winter season. He said SNGPL ignored the instruction and continued gas loadshedding during January and February.
He said the president of Pakistan declared '2011 as year of textile' on February 8, 2011. He added that the SNGPL gave the first 'gift' after this announcement by announcing cut in gas supplies to five days a week. "How could we survive and execute export orders by working two days a week," he wondered. He said around a million textile workers would be rendered jobless as the mills would not be able pay their salaries.
Executive member Aptma, Shahzad Ali Khan warned of grave repercussions of gas loadshedding that might trigger violent protest from jobless workers. "The mill owners would join their workers in streets if the decision on gas loadshedding is not withdrawn in 48 hours," he added. He asked the government to instruct the SNGPL to withdraw its notification and improve efficiency to make gas available.
The chairman Aptma further said that gas and power are the two major inputs. He said the rates of steel products are already out of reach, which has impacted the growth in construction sector. He said the mills would not survive by using alternate high cost fuels like diesel or furnace oil. He said thousands of workers would lose their jobs if normal gas supply was not restored. He has appealed to the Prime Minister to save the industries in Punjab from destruction by asking SNGPL to restore normal gas supplies.