Aptma voices concern over gas, power supply curtailment: matter to be taken up today

Spokesman of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) has expressed deep concerns over the fact that the textile industry is being subjected to severe electricity and gas shortage. The SNGPL is also unilaterally curtailing gas supply for three days a week against a clear direction from the federal petroleum minister of twice a week gas curtailment for the industry.
Furthermore, he added, Pepco has also started electricity shutdowns for long hours, ranging between eight to 10 hours a day, resulting into workforce layoff, production and export losses. The Aptma spokesman added that the textile industry is constrained to run 30-40 percent below capacity due to energy shortage, restricting its potential to grow fast and earn foreign exchange for the national exchequer.
The textile industry cannot afford closure of units for a single day, as it operates 24/7. There is no standby arrangement and it is not viable to operate on alternative fuels other than gas and electricity. He further said that the SNGPL, also, has started disconnecting gas supply for three days a week against an earlier arrangement of two days.
Aptma spokesman said the National Transmission and Distribution Company is disconnecting electricity supply to textile units intermittently, causing machinery damages besides disturbance in shifts of textile workforce. He said despite an encouragement extended to textile industry by the President of Pakistan and Federal Petroleum Minister, the SNGPL is continuing with three days a week gas supply curtailment since September 17.