FAISALABAD: The government has been working on war-footings to bridge huge gap between demand and supply of gas and a comprehensive strategy has been penciled to overcome energy challenges.
The government has no option but to ensure gas supply to textile industry to increase exports and strengthen sinking economy.
Federal Minister for Textile Abbas Khan Afridi stated this while addressing textile millers and exporters at Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) here.
Mr Afridi pointed out that there was a need for long-term comprehensive policy to exploit potential of all related sectors of ‘white gold’. He informed that the Textile Ministry was striving hard to bring textile sector on track by resolving all issued confronted it.
The minister declared that all stakeholders would be taken on board to exploit duty free market access to EU market. With support of the masses we will overcome the challenges being faced by the country, he said and added that all resources would be mobilised for converting Pakistan according to wishes and dreams.
We are serving the masses with a zeal and moral obligation and will continue the same spirit, he added.
The minister assured that textile ministry will keep its struggles for payment of pending refund claims of textile exporters to ease their financial stress.
Earlier Sohail Pasha, Chairman PTEA welcomed the Federal Minister and thanked him for his continuous support in resolving the problems of the industry. He acknowledged the sincere efforts of the Minister in boosting the country’s textile exports. On behalf of textile chain, he thanked the Premier Mian Nawaz Sharif and Textile Minister Abbas Afridi on ensuring continuous gas supply to export oriented textile sector in Punjab in peak winter season. He briefed about the precarious position of Punjab based textile units and the difficulties and un-competitiveness being faced due to lack of energy.