Thin gas supply affects textile production

KARACHI: Industrialists slammed the government for its apathy towards natural gas shortage in the export-oriented textile sector of the metropolitan, and said the sector with more than 50 percent share in national textile exports was starving for the most essential raw material – indigenous gas.

Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association Chief Coordinator Muhammad Jawed Bilwani on Tuesday said the situation continued to worsen every day, and was disastrous for export consignments which would lead to decline in exports.

“Besides, gas holiday every Sunday, due to extremely low gas pressure for the last 22 days, export production was crippled and industries remained without gas during the month of September,” he said.

Industrial production was 60 percent lower, which meant exporters might fail to meet their commitments and incur colossal losses on account of air freight.

“Due to the exorbitant cost of manufacturing as compared to regional competitors, Pakistani exporters are already working on very narrow margin of profits,” Bilwani said. Exporters of Karachi were not taking new orders, as they had no confidence on the incumbent federal government and feared acute shortage and suspension of gas supply in winter, he added.

“Owing to low gas pressure, gas generators producing electricity shut down time and again, causing faults in the machinery and electronic equipment,” he said, adding that the faults and fluctuation also damaged machinery programmes.

Resultantly, labour sits idle for one complete shift and sometime two shifts. “If the crisis situation prevails, many exporters fear colossal losses and (they will be) compelled to shut down their industries,” Bilwani said.