LAHORE, Jan 20: Textile millers have warned they may go to the extent of ‘besieging’ the Parliament House in Islamabad, besides employing other modes of protest, against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines’ failure to ensure supply to them as promised by prime minister’s adviser Dr Asim Hussain.

At a general body meeting of Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) on Sunday, they also reiterated the ‘threats’ to make their units operational in defiance of gas curb and launch a series of protests in the province.

“All chapters of the association unanimously decided to go to any extent to save the textile industry from disaster, including staging a sit-in in front of the Parliament House in Islamabad and blocking roads throughout Punjab,” PTEA chairman Asghar Ali told newsmen.

He said the textile industry was supplied gas merely for five-and-a-half days during the last month while so far in January there had been a complete shutdown. Prime minister’s adviser Dr Asim Hussain had assured the millers that the textile industry would get 25 per cent gas supply in January but the SNGPL completely suspended it, Mr Ali deplored. The industry was under a serious threat of closure as its production had come to a grinding halt. The textile industry in Punjab has been a victim of energy shortage in the country, failing to meet deadlines for export orders, and earning a reputation of being an unreliable supplier in the world markets.

“The situation has forced the industry to go to any extent. We can even shut down the entire textile industry if the government desires so. About 80 per cent of the textile units of the country are in Punjab, employing a major chunk of industrial labour and by neglecting it, the government was ignoring a province that provides food and shelter to millions of people,” warned the PTEA chairman.

The government had projected a textile export target of $16 billion for the current fiscal year, which under the circumstances appeared difficult to meet, he said.

Textile sector had been paying large amounts in taxes but instead of returning the favour, the government had suspended the supply of its basic fuel, putting the backbone of the country’s economy at stake, he said.

To a question, he said alternative fuels were much costly and would increase production cost manifold for the industry, leaving local textile products uncompetitive in the international market.

He feared 25 per cent cut in country’s export targets because of the present energy crisis. Pakistan’s $14 billion share in $800 billion textile market was a very small contribution and it might suffer further decline due to persisting energy shortage.

The PTEA chairman urged the government to immediately take measures to steer the industry out of the crisis, apprehending that the province might become ‘graveyard of the industry’ due to non-availability of energy.

He demanded immediate restoration of gas supply to all industries in Punjab, including textile industry, warning that otherwise the businessmen would besiege the Parliament House till acceptance of their demand.