Marble industry faces losses

KARACHI: The marble industry is facing losses of Rs20 million as tribal clashes in Balochistan have halted supply of raw material, say industry sources.

A large number of export orders have already been cancelled. Three hundred marble factories in Karachi are left with raw material for only a month and if supplies are not restored a large number of workers will be unemployed, said Chairman of All Pakistan Marble Industries Association, Sanaullah Khan.

All types of transport to and from the areas of Dreji and Loi have been completely suspended reducing the supply of raw material to Karachi’s marble factories by 75 per cent. He demanded that the government should resolve the issue, otherwise marble factories will be forced to close down leaving thousands of workers unemployed. He pointed out that mining in Dreji and Loi areas has almost come to a halt, which has made more than 20,000 labourers and 500 truck drivers unemployed.

Published in the Express Tribune, May 11th, 2010.