All Pakistan Textile Mills Association Urges Govt To Revisit Decision On Power Tariff

All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Punjab Chairman Adil Bashir on Tuesday urged the government to review the decision of add-on/surcharges increasing power tariff to 70 per cent retrospectively for the export-oriented industry to avert closure of mills and secure workers jobs

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 28th Jan, 2020 ) :All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Punjab Chairman Adil Bashir on Tuesday urged the government to review the decision of add-on/surcharges increasing power tariff to 70 per cent retrospectively for the export-oriented industry to avert closure of mills and secure workers jobs.

He was addressing a news conference here at APTMA Punjab office where Association's Senior Vice Chairman (Punjab) Abdul Rahim Nasir was also present.

Adil Bashir termed increase in electricity tariff by 13 cents per kWh and its imposition from January 2019 as unilateral decision of the power ministry.

With this move, he claimed, country's exports would not be able to compete with China, Bangladesh and India where power tariffs were seven to nine cents. Textile industry had taken a sigh of relief when present government announced regionally competitive electricity tariff at 7.5 cents or Rs 11.70 per kWh all inclusive for the export-oriented sectors, as it led to new investment and revival of closed capacity of textile sector as well as generated 500,000 additional jobs ensuring livelihood to half a million families in the country.

Accordingly, he added, the textile industry honoured its commitment of showing performance and garments exports surged more than 30 per cent in quantity terms during the last one year and the industry became fully operational. However, imposition of surcharges in the name of QTA, ADMC, Financial Cost Surcharge, Neelum Jhelum Surcharge, Positive Fuel Adjustment Surcharge, and fixed surcharge has pushed the export-oriented tariff upward from 7.5 cents to almost 13 cents kWh.

He said the export-oriented industry cannot sustain to export on inflated electricity bills therefore government must resolve this issue without delay.

Earlier, Adil Bashir chaired an APTMA Punjab meeting largely attended by textile mills owners from Lahore, Faisalabad and Multan.