Uninterrupted gas and power supply demanded

Industrialists losing export orders, foreign exchange.

LAHORE:

Pakistan Tanners Association (PTA) Chairman Khurshid Alam has criticised the government for its discriminatory attitude towards the leather industry – the country’s second largest export-oriented industry.

In a statement, Alam said that the industry was facing a serious crisis due to frequent suspension of gas supply and interruption of electricity, which was hampering growth of the sector.

He claimed that the government’s focus was on rehabilitation of the textile sector, which resulted in the leather industry – which contributes up to five per cent to the country’s gross domestic product – being neglected.

Alam added that the leather industry was facing a declining trend in exports, by up to 30 per cent due to lack of basic facilities, which may worsen if the authorities did not resolve issues.

He explained that it had become impossible for PTA members to run factories in Punjab to execute export orders in time, resulting in a loss of foreign buyers and foreign exchange which could help solve the current economic problems.

Alam appealed to the president and prime minister to look into the problems of the leather sector for immediate restoration of gas and electricity supply, particularly in Lahore, to save the industry from collapse.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2011.