Value-added sector warns gas blackout to hit exports

KARACHI: Value-added textiles exporters on Saturday said the industry was on the brink of a breakdown owing to over a 100-day long gas blackout and with their production virtually hitting rock bottom, delivering on international commitments had become seemingly impossible.

“The value-added textile exporters are highly upset over this sheer discrimination towards Karachi that generates 68 percent revenue for the national exchequer, contributes 54 percent to total national exports and 52 percent to textile exports,” officials of the concerned trade bodies said in statement.

“If current export commitments are not fulfilled on time the buyers will not place new orders. Why should the industries of Karachi alone bear the brunt of gas shortage?”

They urged Prime Minister of Pakistan to take immediate notice of the highly aggravated situation.

The statement jointly was issued by Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, Chairman, Pakistan Apparel Forum & Chief Coordinator, Value-Added Textile Forum, Abdul Rehman, Zonal Chairman, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PHMA), Sheikh Shafiq Jhok Wala, Chairman, Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PRGMEA), Kamran Chandna, Chairman, Pakistan Knitwear & Sweaters Manufacturers & Exporters Association, Aitazaz Ahmed Japanwala, Chairman, Pakistan Cotton Fashion Apparel Manufacturers & Exporters Association, Kashif Mehtab Chawla, Chairman, Towel Manufacturers Association, Asif Javed, Chairman, Pakistan Bedwear Exporters Association & Asif Riaz Tata, Chairman, Pakistan Denim Manufacturer & Exporters Association in statement to press and media.

Expressing concern, the industry officials, added that repeated appeals and press releases in the print media without any response from the government had also distorted the soft and positive image of Pakistan in the eyes of international community around the globe, raising several questions in the Foreign Missions of friendly countries.

“Ambassadors and diplomats in Islamabad and Karachi have been continuously observing the situation and they may send their advisories to the buyers of their countries which may result in disruption or discontinuation of existing and new export orders.”

The export industries of Karachi were also victimised and denied of other alternate fuel like Furnace Oil as the Department of Explosives, Petroleum Division is also not granting the required licence to export industries, which have applied for same for more than last two months, according to concerned trade bodies.

“Production of export industries having no other alternate energy or power connection/source but only gas/RLNG have completely shut down,” the industry officials said.

Empty Containers and Vessels to despatch export shipments to various destinations worldwide are also not easily available due to ill-planning of the Government as the empty containers have been exported, reportedly, throughout last year, in huge quantity and mother vessels are also not coming to Pakistan.

Fearing massive layoffs and drastic decline in the national exchequer, they called on Prime Minister to take immediate action to protect the constitutional rights of the exporters of Karachi.