All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) has urged Federal Minister for Petroleum, Dr Asim Hussain to ensure uninterrupted gas supply five days a week to the textile industry. In a letter written to the federal petroleum minister, Aptma expressed concerns over the gas curtailment for three days a week by SNGPL unilaterally, said sources.
It termed it negation to the earlier arrangement of uninterrupted five days a week gas supply to the textile industry as assured by both the President of Pakistan and Federal Minister for Petroleum & Natural Resources. It expressed the fear that present curtailment of gas would lead to huge production loss to the textile industry. It said this is high time for the textile industry to secure export orders for winter and fall season in the western markets.
Aptma pointed out that gas curtailment at a time with when the industry is set for cotton procurement may add worries to the flood-hit farmers badly in need of cash to pay back the expenses incurred on cotton sowing. He urged the federal petroleum minister to intervene in the matter and direct SNGPL for immediately reverting back to five days a week uninterrupted gas supply to the industry.