UNPREDICTABLE outages have affected production of 7,000 industrial units of sport, surgical and leather goods in Sialkot. As a result, traders associated with the export of sport, surgical and leather goods have suffered 40 per cent shortages in export targets this summer while thousands of industrial workers are facing job cuts.

Sialkot industries deserved a better treatment as regards power supply because the city is earning $1.26 billion in foreign exchange annually.

Shortage of natural gas, petrol and electricity has affected industry and businesses. Successive governments have never focused on energy development in order to fully utilise the resources available. We do not see any serious effort by the government to address the shortage of energy, particularly gas and electricity. The opposition too is equally responsible as it has failed to check and guide the government. Unrest in the country is increasing. Before it goes out of control, the government should think about development.

Several localities suffer from an acute shortage of water as tubewells cannot be operated owing to power outages. The government does not realise the frustration of the people.

S.A.KHOKHAR
Lahore