‘Suspension of gas supply will dampen progress’
FCCI chief calls for restoring supplies to textile industry.
SNGPL decision to suspend gas supply to textile industries in Faisalabad is an anti-industry and anti-worker decision, said FCCI. PHOTO: FILE
FAISALABAD:
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited’s (SNGPL) decision to suspend gas supply to textile industries in Faisalabad is an anti-industry and anti-worker decision, which will damage the benefits of GSP Plus Status to Pakistan, said Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) President Engineer Suhail Bin Rashid.
While addressing a press conference, he said that the decision will lead to unemployment of 2.5 million workers, along with causing huge loss to the production and export orders secured by Pakistani exporters during the recent Heimtextil trade fair in Germany.
He said that overnight suspension of gas to Faisalabad industries will not only send a negative signal but will also prove to be a historic mistake on behalf of SNGPL.
Inviting the government’s prompt attention to reinstate the supply of gas to the industries, he said this was a matter of a few days as gas supply normalises in March every year.
“Under a planned scheme by certain elements, textile industry is being destroyed to damage the economy of the country,” Rashid said, adding that if the suspension prevailed, business community would be compelled to lay off the workforce which will increase unemployment.
“Last year, gas was supplied to the textile industries for only 114 days, which affected the production capacity of the industries badly.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 18th, 2014.
Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited’s (SNGPL) decision to suspend gas supply to textile industries in Faisalabad is an anti-industry and anti-worker decision, which will damage the benefits of GSP Plus Status to Pakistan, said Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) President Engineer Suhail Bin Rashid.
While addressing a press conference, he said that the decision will lead to unemployment of 2.5 million workers, along with causing huge loss to the production and export orders secured by Pakistani exporters during the recent Heimtextil trade fair in Germany.
He said that overnight suspension of gas to Faisalabad industries will not only send a negative signal but will also prove to be a historic mistake on behalf of SNGPL.
Inviting the government’s prompt attention to reinstate the supply of gas to the industries, he said this was a matter of a few days as gas supply normalises in March every year.
“Under a planned scheme by certain elements, textile industry is being destroyed to damage the economy of the country,” Rashid said, adding that if the suspension prevailed, business community would be compelled to lay off the workforce which will increase unemployment.
“Last year, gas was supplied to the textile industries for only 114 days, which affected the production capacity of the industries badly.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 18th, 2014.