KARACHI: The government has included domestic and commercial consumers as the first priority and industries as the last priority for gas supply.
The Federal Ministry of Energy and Petroleum Division has modified the priority order list for gas supply and added gas supply to captive power units as the last priority. According to the notification issued in this regard, the industries have been included in the third and last priority along with CNG and cement industry. Thus, gas shortage especially during winter will be given first priority to domestic and commercial consumers, special commercial and process industry, second priority to fertilizer factories and power sector and last priority to cement and CNG including captive power.
The textile industry has appealed to the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to take notice of the amendment as a threat to the industry’s survival. Sources in the textile industry say that this move will further increase the threats to the survival of the crisis-prone industry, which will also affect exports.
Textile industry sources say Pakistan’s textile industry, which accounts for 60 percent of the country’s exports, is at risk of collapse due to rising production costs, energy shortages and global market pressures.
Textile exporters have warned that the industry is on the brink of collapse with a 30 per cent increase in production costs and a 20 per cent drop in exports, while pending refunds worth Rs 100 billion.
The industry has requested the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) to provide energy subsidy ($6-7 per mmbtu of gas, Rs 5-6 per unit of electricity), financial relief (payment of pending refunds). , reduction of customs duty, exemption of sales tax on raw materials) and provision of infrastructural support (upgraded textile parks, testing laboratories, logistics) as soon as possible to maintain Pakistan’s share in the international market. Can be.
The textile industry has called for urgent measures to save the sector and millions of jobs, including lower energy prices, availability of gas for captive power, interest-free loans for renewable energy, technology transfer, skills Development and market access measures are included, to ensure economic stability and growth of Pakistan.
