Zardari directs ministry to restore power by February

President assures regular power supply to industrial units.

KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari has directed the Ministry of Water and Power to restore power supply, on three shifts a day basis, to the affected industrial units by the first week of February 2013.

In a meeting with a 14-member delegation of the All Pakistan Textile Manufacturers Association (Aptma) in Karachi, Zardari assured every possible government support for resolution of the problems faced by the industry.

“Regular power supply will be restored to the affected industrial units as soon as the closure of Bhail Minor irrigation canal is completed,” Zardari said.

Zardari assured the textile industry that the government was alive to the issues being confronted by them, including the issue of power outages, and was taking corrective measures to resolve the issues.

He said that the textile sector was the mainstay of Pakistan’s exports and was a symbol of the country’s manufacturing excellence.

He said that all efforts were being made to address the energy crisis so that the production chain, employment and exports can be saved from adverse affects of power shortages.

Responding to the submissions forwarded by the delegation jointly led by Gohar Ejaz and Aptma’s Central Chairman Ahsan Bashir, Zardari said optimum efforts will be made to ensure 16 hours of uninterrupted power supply to the units in need.

Spokesperson to the President Senator Farhatullah Babar said that the president, while highlighting the importance of the textile industry, lauded the critical role being played by the entrepreneurs in developing a self-reliant production chain in the textile sector and commended the private sector for the development of the industry.

The president during his meeting with the Aptma delegation was accompanied by the Federal Minister for Water and Power Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain, Ministry of Water and Power Secretary Nargis Sethi, and Prime Minister’s Secretariat Additional Secretary Hassan Nawaz Tarrar.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 10^th, 2013.

Like Business on Facebook to stay informed and join in the conversation.