Punjab textiles reopening hailed

LAHORE: The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Punjab on Saturday lauded the provincial government for reopening the textile industry’s value chain in the larger interest of the country’s dwindling exports and the labour forced into idleness because of the pandemic-led lockdown.

Adil Bashir, the president of the textile trade body’s Punjab chapter, expressed these views, while thanking Chief Minister Usman Buzdar for issuing directives to this effect, in a press conference at the APTMA office.

Chairman All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association (APTPMA) Pervaiz Lala was also present on the occasion.

Bashir said a delegation of the Punjab-based textile associations had called on Chief Minister and briefed him about the safety measures taken by the textile industry to avoid the spread of novel coronavirus at factory premises.

He said Chief Minister was satisfied wih the arrangements and allowed the textile value chain to resume operations throughout Punjab.

He said the textile value chain was grateful to the government of Punjab for taking a prudent decision, adding that this decision would save hundreds and thousands of textile workers from layoffs.

Bashir said he had assured the authorities the textile industry would follow all the Standard Operating Procedures in letter and spirit.

The member mills of APTMA had already adopted all precautionary measures at mills during the processing of the orders on the floor by providing masks, sanitizers and other PPE to labour besides observing complete cleanliness, he said.