Textile exporters termed proposed gas suspension plan a death knell for export-based textile industry and productivity and urged government to provide regular gas supply for textile sector in winter.

These view were expressed in a joint press statement on Monday by Rana Arif Touseef, Convenor Joint Action Committee for Energy, Engr. Sohail Bin Rashid, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Syed Zia Alamdar, former vice chairman Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association, Ammar Saeed, All Pakistan Bedsheet and Upholstery Manufacturers Association, Shakeel Ansari, All Pakistan Textile Sizing Association and leading textile manufacturers and exporters.

Briefing the newsmen after the meeting, Sheikh Ilyas Mahmood, Chairman and Adil Tahir, Vice Chairman Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) said that gas curtailment for textile industry would affect not only production but also industrial workforce. They said textile industry would only truly exploit the expected market access granted by EU, if it is provided with regular gas supply, and added that industrial gas supply should be prioritised in a situation when the country is already passing through a severe energy crisis.

Textile industry demanded complete exemption from gas load shedding during winter. Pakistan is likely to get GSP Plus market access to the European Union by 2014 onwards and this is right time for the government to support textile industry and let it grow and expand in all directions to avail benefit of the market access scheme.