FAISALABAD: All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), the representative body of garment-producing businesses, has decided to shut down textile units across the country from Saturday to protest the withdrawal of competitive power tariffs.
“1,600 textile mills have already shut shops. The rest of the units will also follow suit from Saturday,” the association said.
“Five million employees will lose their jobs and 30 million people will be affected due to the closure of these units,” it added.
“The government has withdrawn competitive power rates for the textile industry. The closure of the industry will deal a heavy blow to the domestic exports,” it stated.
“Increasing exports is very important and the only way out for the economy of the country. The government must provide electricity and gas at competitive rates to the textile industry. It should also ensure continuous power and gas supply to the businesses,” it demanded.
In August, the association warned export proceeds of the textile sector will go down by up to $3 billion in the current fiscal year because of the government’s policies that it believed have “strangulated” the largest dollar-earning sector of the economy.
“I can’t see (us) getting out of this perfect storm… It’d be a miracle if we’re able to retain our exports at the current level,” said Shahid Sattar, secretary general of the body, while speaking at a seminar organised by the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics (PIDE).
