Crippled industries: Workers’ association threatens load shedding protest

Association chairperson says government should ensure uninterrupted power supply to industrial units

FAISALABAD:

“The government will have bigger worries than political protests by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) if industrial workers took to the streets to protest against load shedding,” All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association acting chairman Rizwan Ashraf said on Thursday.

He was addressing a joint press conference with various heads of trade and industrial bodies.

Ashraf said the government should ensure uninterrupted power supply to industrial units.

He said several trade associations had supported the government over the last year but there was no visible improvement in the energy situation.

“Uninterrupted electricity is the lifeline of the industrial sector.

We informed the government about our problems many times but we continue to face power outage of 16 to 20 hours daily,” he said.

Faisalabad Energy Crises Committee Chairman Rana Arif Tauseef told newsmen that said the energy crisis had crippled the economy.

“If our industries continue to suffer, the government could have a serious problem on their hands,” he said.

Hosiery Manufacturers Association Chairman Amjad Khawaja said unemployed youth would take to the streets if the energy crisis was not resolved soon.

They said the government increased the power tariff and power outages were not controlled, they would launch a protest march.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2014.