LAHORE: The All-Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) has demanded uninterrupted gas supply to the Punjab-based textile industry to stop closure of mills.

“The Punjab-based textile industry is confronted with a serious challenge of sustainability on account of energy shortage, particularly gas supply, which is not being provided with according to requirement,” said Aptma Punjab Chairman S M Tanveer on Monday.

Textile industry in other provinces was getting round-the-clock and seven days a week gas supply and this widening disparity is inflicting Rs72 billion per annum as an additional cost.

“This situation is resulting in large scale closure of textile mills in Punjab,” he said while urging the government to save Punjab-based textile industry without delay.

Mr Tanveer said Punjab Chief Minister had made special efforts to ensure 25pc or six hours a day basis gas quota to the textile mills in Punjab during winter in the face of GSP plus market access facility from the EU.

Continuity of mills operations during the outgoing winter yielded additional exports worth $180 million during the first two months of the calendar year. The Aptma Punjab chairman appealed to the prime minister, the Punjab chief minister, and the ministers for finance, commerce, petroleum and textile industry to take stock of the situation and issue directives to the SNGPL for seven days a week gas supply to textile mills on its network.

LCCI: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Monday urged the government to give priority o the industrial sector in the supply of gas.

In a statement, LCCI President Sohail Lashari welcomed restoration of gas supply to CNG sector, but added that it would have been wiser if the industrial sector was given priority because it not only generates revenues for the government, but also provides jobs to millions.—Staff Reporter