A large number of spinning mills in Punjab province of Pakistan closed down because they had no gas connections and had to operate on electricity, which is more expensive. Punjab hosts 70 per cent of Pakistan’s textile industry.
Many mills continuing to operate have had to reduce one work shift. Because of the high cost of power, the textile sector is at a huge disadvantage of Rs 100 billion against mills in the other provinces of Pakistan. The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association has been pleading with the government to act swiftly to save the multibillion dollar textile sector which is at risk because of the high energy cost, but has received little response.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had recently decided to form a high-powered committee on the textile crisis in Punjab, but it has yet to be convened. The five-member committee is to be headed by finance minister Ishaq Dar, with commerce minister Khurram Dastaghir, textile minister Abbas Khan Afridi, minister for water and power Khuwaja Asif, and minister for petroleum and gas Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as its other members.
www.aptma.org.pk/
