ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Textile Industry Abbas Khan Afridi declared that textile package announced in the budget will be implemented through Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs).
Talking to the members a delegation led by All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) Punjab Chairman SM Tanveer, the minister informed that the SROs had been sent to the Law Division for vetting and expressed the hope that it would be notified in the next few days.
On the occasion, the delegation members apprised the minister of severe electricity shortage in Punjab that has led to reduction in production in textile units. They regretted that the textile mills are operating in two shifts instead of three owing to shortage of electricity.
At which the minister assured that supply of electricity to the textile industry would be improved after Ramazan.
An official statement issued after the meeting said that textile industry was in fact the bread winner for the country and the government was trying its level best to facilitate the textile sector. The government values revival of economy, therefore textile industry holds foremost importance, he added.
The minister declared that the incentives announced in the budget clearly reflected the government’s commitment and priority.
The delegation urged the minister to devise some way out for the ruining business at the hands of power outages.
The Aptma delegation lamented inadequate electricity supply for the last one year and the rising unemployment due to workers lay-off.
The delegation highlighted that in order to reap maximum benefits from GSP+ status, uninterrupted power supply is imperative.
The minister assured the delegation that in Ramazan loadshedding hours would be reduced to 8 hours.
The minister stated that he understands the problems faced by the textile units and that he would take up the issue with the prime minister and the minister for water and power soon.
The minister admitted that no doubt the conditions are tough but he envisages a prosperous future for the country, in general, and the textile industry, in particular, added the statement.
