LAHORE: All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Punjab Chairman Adil Bashir has urged the government to withdraw the ad-hoc bills of Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Ltd (SNGPL) ab-initio till the resumption of manufacturing activities.
He further demanded an extension in the last date for the payment of gas bills issued for the month of March until the lifting of the lockdown.
Bashir said the closure of mills in the wake of lockdown imposed by the Punjab government has caused grave financial constraints to the textile industry in general and APTMA Punjab members in particular.
The APTMA leader continued that all the business and economic activities in the province have come to a halt due to the closure of business activities, cessation of production and manufacturing operations, and suspension of supplies both for domestic and foreign markets.
“Since there has been no production since March 23, 2020, there is no consumption of gas in the textile units,” he noted. “APTMA-Punjab member mills are unable to pay the ad-hoc bills till the restoration of normalcy and lifting of the lockdown.”
Bashir maintained that he couldn’t understand the logic behind asking for payments of ad-hoc bills during the lockdown period.
He urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to take stock of the situation and direct the SNGPL to withdraw the ad hoc bills at the earliest.
