FAISALABAD: “The sudden and unplanned announcement of four consecutive holidays by the Punjab government has severely undermined its stated agenda of economic revival and shaken the confidence of the business community, including foreign investors, traders, and exporters, while seriously disrupting the industrial supply chain.”
This was stated by Ahmad Afzal Awan, Senior Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA), North Zone, while commenting on the prevailing situation. He said that at a time when the country urgently requires uninterrupted industrial activity and policy consistency to stabilise the economy, such abrupt decisions have created uncertainty across markets.
He highlighted that the disruption caused by these consecutive holidays has adversely affected industrial operations, logistics, and export shipments, the repercussions of which are likely to persist for several weeks.
“The losses resulting from this sudden halt in business activities run into millions of dollars, with the export-oriented textile sector being the worst affected,” he added.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026