Industrialists and textile workers observed strike and staged sit-in for several hours in front of regional offices of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) at Sargodha road to protest against prolonged gas loadshedding in Punjab, here on Thursday.
All CNG filling stations of the region were also closed on second day of strike announced by All Pakistan CNG Association and Petroleum Retailers Association, which is causing inconvenience to the people. Owners of CNG stations also took out a protest rally and urged the government to end the gas loadshedding and conspiracy against the Punjab.
Industrialists and textile workers took out protest rallies from various industrial estates and reached outside the SNGPL offices, where they staged strong protest against gas loadshedding three days a week. Addressing the protest rally, Sheikh Muhammad Saeed, Regional Chairman, All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association announced that protests will continue till end of gas loadshedding, which is yielding negative impact on industrialisation of Punjab. He said that Punjab was being victimised by the federal government by suspending gas supply to its textile processing units and industries whereas continued gas supply was being provided in Sindh province including Karachi by the government.
He said that this sort of treatment with Punjab is unbearable and the association members and the workers of their factories would continue their protests till the gas supply to Faisalabad and other parts of the province is not ensured for 24 hours a day except one holiday.
Shahid Ahmad Sheikh, Member Zonal Committee of PHMA, Sheikh Abdul Qayyum, Mian Aftab Ahmad & Khalid Habib Sheikh former presidents of Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) and other traders also addressed the meeting. Meanwhile, owners of CNG stations also took out a protest rally against gas loadshedding and marched on city roads by carrying banners. Addressing the protest meeting, the speakers said that they were bearing heavy losses since last year. Even now in summer season gas loadshedding is still being carried out which has no justification at all.
They said that they have been trying continuously to solve their issues with the help of government but could not get any positive response that's why they are forced to call a strike. The Petrol Pumps owners Association will also support this strike and would keep their petrol pumps closed.
It may be recalled that the gas loadshedding for industrial sector remained continued on second consecutive day here on Thursday, as a result 600 textile industrial units remained closed. Meanwhile, Chaudhry Abdul Haq, Chairman, Muhammad Akram Ghouri, Vice Chairman, All Pakistan Cotton Powerlooms Association expressed grave concern over the loadshedding of electricity and gas, which is yielding negative impact on the textile sector. They demanded of the government to review its policy in order to help the textile sector.