SNGPL has single out the knitwear garment sector by repudiating gas supply defying going along with the decision taken by the federal government to provide gas to textile processing units.

The SNGPL management was supplying gas to the APTMA members and depriving rest of the industry, which is nothing but discriminatory treatment. Central Chairman of Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PHMA) Shahzad Azam Khan has said that the Secretary Textile Division has highlighted more than once that gas would be provided to all textile processing units but repeated demands of PHMA are falling on deaf ear of SNGPL and it seems that 85mmcfd gas has been hijacked by some influential persons.

The benefits of GSP Plus will not be harvested unless the value added sectors are provided support in production process. Shahzad has asked the government to appreciate the role of value added apparel export sector for its potential to harvest maximum benefits of GSP Plus and providing mass employment to the jobless population of the country. He clarified that APTMA is not the only body representing whole of textile value chain but PHMA members should also be considered equally.

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Shahzad is of the view that the government should involve them in policymaking and ensure gas supply for their production. As, the knitwear and woven garments export industry is adding diverse value to basic commodities like raw cotton and yarn and fetches foreign exchange of about $4 billion for the country which is highest of all, but is being ignored by depriving of gas supply and in making and implementing of policies whereas the unconcerned are posing to be holders of textile industry leadership.