Textile exporters appreciate gas load shedding exemption

“This huge inflow of foreign exchange would strengthen the economy and reduce trade deficit,” says Pasha.

FAISALABAD:

Textile exporters on Sunday thanked the government for exempting the sector from gas load shedding in winter.

In a statement, Pakistan Textile Export Association president Sohail Pasha and PTEA vice chairman said the move would raise the businessmen’s confidence in the government.

“The chief minister assured exporters, at a meeting a few days earlier, that the government would take steps to ensure gas supply to the textile industry so that it could take full advantage of access to European Union markets under the GSP plus scheme,” the statement said.

It said the trade concessions were estimated to boost Pakistan’s exports to Europe by up to $1 billion a year and create one million jobs over the next five years.

Pasha said every worker in the textile industry was grateful for the support.

“If the load shedding exemption had not been granted, the textile industry would have had to lay off workers during the three months of winter due,” he said.

He said uninterrupted gas supply would help increase textile exports every month.

“This huge inflow of foreign exchange would strengthen the economy and reduce trade deficit,” he said.

“It would enable the textile industry to capitalise on the advantages of the GSP Plus status by the European Union,” he added.

Riaz said the energy shortages were the greatest hurdle to industrial progress. He urged the government to prioritise uninterrupted energy supply to the textile industry to secure 15 million jobs and $14 billion exports.

“The government should focus on industrial development as a top priority,” he said. “Uninterrupted energy supply is the heart of the industry,” he said.

He said textile exporters were optimistic that the energy crisis would be resolved soon.

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