LCCI, APTMA slam load shedding

LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) member mills on Monday expressed deep concern over repeated power outages and feared that it would hit industrial production

LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh said power outages, coupled with weaknesses in transmission and distribution system needed immediate attention of the concerned authorities, as meeting energy needs was a key to development and economic growth. “Energy is also an important economic indicator and its availability/shortage encourages or discourages the local and foreign investors,” he added.

LCCI Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar and Vice President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmad called for energy efficiency measures, and said it would save huge capital, and improve the economy and the environment.

APTMA Punjab Chairman Adil Bashir said member mills have been facing power fluctuations and unannounced load shedding for the last few weeks along with serious issue of extremely low gas pressure for the last one month. He reminded that mills were already faced with supply interruptions of furnace oil, which was of paramount importance for the textile industry dependent on HFO for captive power plants’ operations and various manufacturing processes such as dyeing, drying, and heating, etc.

“Member mills are unable to continue production which is fraught with risks of further affecting the smooth supply for export orders. Repeated requests of member mills to get the issue resolved at local levels have remained futile,” Bashir said, and added that operating mills was becoming impossible due to such circumstances.