Mr. Zahid Mazhar, Chairman of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association, Southern Zone, has urged the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Shahbaz Shareef and the Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, for their intervention to save the export-oriented textile industry of Sindh and Baluchistan from total closure due to denial of gas from November 15, 2022, to 28th February 0223.

Mr Zahid Mazhar said that the export-oriented textile industries of Sindh and Baluchistan are contributing more than 54 percent to the total exports of Pakistan, have been served notices of gas closure without taking in confidence the real stakeholders in respect of gas closure for three and half months even though the two provinces are producing more than 80 percent of gas produced in the country. He further said that due to extremely low gas pressure and frequent unavailability, it is difficult for the export-oriented textile industries in Sindh and Hub Industrial Area to run the mills and fulfil their export commitments well in time.

Mr Zahid Mazhar further said that the textile industry is an export-oriented industry running on a 24/7 basis, and almost all of our member mills are using natural gas as fuel for electricity generation to meet their energy requirements and to run their processing units. Hence if they are forced to consume only 50 percent of their load, they will not be able to run their mills smoothly and fulfil their export commitments on time; resultantly, they would not only lose their hard-earned foreign buyers as well as the foreign exchange earned by the country through exports would also be curtailed which is the need of the hour.

Mr Zahid Mazhar said that APTMA member mills are very much disturbed after receipt of SSGCL’s notices of gas closure for three and half months. He further said that gas closures for the export-oriented textile industry would be the last nail in the coffin of the economy of Pakistan and, resultantly, Pakistan would lead to default in payment of foreign obligations. The currency rate would deteriorate further and reach a point of no return.

Chairman APTMA Southern Zone said the government should take appropriate measures to ensure gas supply to export-oriented industries instead of complete gas outages. This would lead to a huge decline in exports and revenue, closure of industries, and layoffs.

Mr Zahid Mazhar urged the government and gas supply companies to provide gas first to export-oriented industries, including textile, to run their mills without any disruption so that they can fulfil their export commitments in time; otherwise, they would be compelled to shut down their mills; resulting in a massive decline in foreign exchange earnings through exports and increase in unemployment which will result in a law & order situation.