APTMA chair urges rethink on industry’s gas supply
Chairman of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA)’s southern zone, Zahid Mazhar (pictured), has called for the intervention of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and the chief minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, after natural gas provider Sui Southern Gas Company announced its intention to suspend supply between November 15 and February 28.
The company’s decision, which is expected to have a profound impact on capacity at export-oriented textile producers and other general industries in Sindh and Balochistan, was influenced by an energy ministry plan to prioritise gas load flow to domestic and commercial consumers.
According to Mr Mazhar, these recommendations were made without the input of local stakeholders, despite the provinces’ textile industries collectively contributing “more than 54%" of the country’s total exports. Infrequent or low gas pressure, or complete outages, may result in unfulfilled orders, loss of revenue, layoffs and even the closure of some mills, he added, due to insufficient energy resource.
Local media said that compressed natural gas stations in Sindh have already been shut for nearly three months.
Mr Mazhar urged the government and Pakistan’s gas supply base to consider meeting export-oriented industries’ gas requirements first, lest unfavourable socioeconomic consequences arise from higher unemployment levels.
Image: APTMA.
