LAHORE– All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Punjab Chairman Adil Bashir has urged the government to withdraw ad hoc bills of the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) ab-initio till the resumption of manufacturing facility in mills.
He further demanded of an extension in the last date for the payment of gas bills issued for the month of March until the lifting of lockdown.
He said the closure of mills in the wake of lockdown imposed by the Punjab government has caused grave financial constraints and cash and liquidity crunch coupled with heavy financial losses to the textile industry in general and APTMA Punjab members in particular.
He said all the business and economic activities have come to a halt due to the closure of business activities, cessation of production and manufacturing operations, suspension of transportation of goods and suspension of supplies both for domestic and foreign markets with the lockdown imposed by the Punjab government.
Since there has been no production since March 23, 2020, therefore, there is no consumption of gas in the textile units.
The APTMA Punjab member mills are unable to pay the ad hoc bills till the restoration of normalcy and lifting of lockdown. He said there is no logic to ask for payment of ad hoc bills during the period of closure.
He has urged Prime Minister Imran Khan and Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources to take stock of the situation and direct the SNGPL to withdraw the ad hoc bills until the resumption of manufacturing activities in the country.— PRESS RELEASE
