Textile exporters in Pakistan have threatened to relocate their businesses to other nations as a result of gas load-shedding and the country’s continuous energy problems.
The Express Tribune stated that textile exporters have formed a committee for due diligence to shift businesses in the light of gas crises and an unviable business environment, citing a statement by Pakistan Apparel Forum (PAF) Chairman Jawed Bilwani.
Textile exporters with Regasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) connections who have struggled to pay the bills in order to meet export orders at a rate of Rs 1,533 per mmbtu are also denied gas.
The exporters expressed concern about how industries would function without the basic raw material. They expressed fears that the textile export businesses would not be able to obtain the essential gas in a timely and efficient manner in the future.
Sector research analyst believes that textile industry is one of the leading export industries of Pakistan. Exports clocked-in at 13.8 billion dollars in the first 11 months of the outgoing fiscal year 2020-21 alone. “This is more than twice the International Monetary Fund (IMF) facility of 6 billion dollars,” the analyst said, adding that depriving the industry of gas will hurt exports of the country.
Similarly, non-export industries are also not getting gas as per their requirement. These industries also play a vital role in the manufacturing of value-added products for export industries, and also produce products for meeting local demand, said North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) President Faisal Moiz Khan.
“Therefore, non-export industries are as important as export industries and they should be ignored,” he maintained.
Geo News reported earlier this month that Pakistan’s energy situation was increasing, with the country facing an electricity shortfall of between 7,000 and 8,000 megawatts.
Due to the electrical shortage, unannounced load-shedding has reached an all-time high in Punjab, including Lahore. The public’s anguish was exacerbated by unannounced power outages ranging from three to five hours in various locations over the last 72 hours.
