‘EPA to support the hosiery sector in resolving environmental concerns’
FAISALABAD: Deputy Director, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Faisalabad, Usman Azhar has said that environmental and technical issues faced by industrialists should be addressed through mutual consultation and continuous coordination. He assured that the EPA would provide all possible support and technical guidance to the hosiery sector in resolving environmental concerns.
He expressed these views while addressing a meeting of the Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PHMA), North Zone Faisalabad. Usman Azhar said that the EPA had no negative agenda and its objective was not to harass industrialists, but to ensure effective implementation of environmental laws while working together for environmental protection. He added that his doors were always open to PHMA members for guidance and resolution of their environmental and technical issues.
He said that environmental protection, sustainable production and environmentally responsible supply chains were receiving increasing attention globally. Therefore, Pakistani industries needed to comply with national environmental laws as well as international environmental standards. He stated that approximately 1,100 boilers were operating in Faisalabad and around 600 in Lahore, making it necessary to adopt modern and effective emission control systems to address boiler related environmental concerns.
Usman Azhar advised industrialists to study emission control systems being used by industries where modern technologies were effectively controlling smoke and carbon emissions, and to introduce improved systems in their own factories. He also appreciated the proposal for installation of cameras in factories and access to relevant records, saying that such measures could improve transparency in monitoring and help establish an effective system of checks and balances during field operations.
Speaking on the occasion, PHMA Senior Vice Chairman Ahmed Afzal Awan said that if the EPA received any complaint against a member factory, the association should be taken into confidence before direct action was initiated. He said that sealing a factory not only disrupted production but also made it difficult to complete export orders on time, increasing the risk of order cancellations and potential loss of foreign exchange for the country.
Ahmed Afzal Awan said that the export industry was already facing challenges including high energy costs, intense global competition and rising production expenses. Under such circumstances, sudden closure or sealing of factories could further aggravate the industry’s difficulties. He urged the authorities to issue a formal notice before taking any sealing action, clearly identify the violation and provide reasonable time for corrective measures.
He said that the industry fully supported measures aimed at environmental protection and was ready to cooperate with the EPA in ensuring compliance with environmental laws and regulations. However, he stressed that environmental compliance should go hand in hand with the continuity of industrial production and exports.
Altaf Khan, Director, Sadaqat Corporation (Private) Limited highlighted the issue of smoke and emissions generated by the use of solid fuel in industrial boilers. He said that due to the unavailability of gas, industries were compelled to use coal and other solid fuels. He explained that, because of the existing boiler system designs, temporary smoke was generated during start up and shutdown, while emissions could also increase when systems were restarted after power outages or technical faults.
He said that in such cases, instead of immediately sealing a factory, the nature of the technical issue should first be assessed, the industrialist should be informed and reasonable time should be provided for corrective action. This would help ensure environmental compliance without unnecessarily disrupting industrial activities.
Muhammad Amjad Khawaja, former Chairman PHMA North Zone said that the industry fully supported environmental protection, reduction of carbon emissions and the objective of maintaining a clean environment. He said the industry was ready to cooperate with the EPA. However, environmental pollution should not be attributed to the textile sector alone, as agriculture, oil production, fertilizer, pesticides and other sectors also affected the environment. He stressed the need for a comprehensive environmental strategy that considered all relevant sectors and factors.
Shakeel Jan highlighted the difficulties faced by industrialists during factory inspections and said that in case of any violation, the authorities should first identify the issue, issue a warning and provide an opportunity for corrective action instead of immediately taking strict measures. He said that due to the unavailability of gas, the use of solid fuel had become a compulsion for industry, and boiler related emission issues therefore needed to be addressed on technical grounds.
The meeting agreed that continuous coordination between industry and the EPA was essential for effective implementation of environmental laws, guidance of industrialists and resolution of technical issues. Participants emphasized that environmental protection should be ensured while also maintaining the continuity of industrial production and export activities.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Altaf Khan, Director, Sadaqat Corporation (Private) Limited presented a PHMA honorary shield to Usman Azhar, Deputy Director, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Faisalabad.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026