Gas outages to hit jobs: APTMA

Tuesday, October 20, 2009 By By our correspondent

LAHORE: The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has warned the government that disruption in gas supply to its member mills will affect $3 billion worth of exports and one million direct jobs. An APTMA spokesman, in a press statement, said the gas utility had informed that this year supplies would be curtailed for five months instead of three months as per Sui Northern Gas Pipelines’ contract. He said the federal government followed a Natural Gas Allocation and Management Policy, so load management programme should be implemented on all-Pakistan basis. “Any shortfall in gas during winter should be shared by all consumers of the country instead of Punjab and NWFP only.” He said the textile industry, already facing a severe crisis due to high cost of production, was being further burdened on account of uncalled for disruption of gas supply and consequent production losses. “Continuous gas supply to the textile industry is of vital importance at this time when the industry is poised to recover and meet export orders. SNGPL has disconnected gas supply to major industrial clusters making the industry stuck.” He urged the government to ensure smooth and trouble-free supply of gas to the textile industry and also appealed to the SNGPL to follow the stated policy of the government for according due priority to the export-oriented textile industry.