Thousands of cotton bales set on fire

At least four textile mills and more than 2,500 bales of cotton were set ablaze in Sindh during violence after assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, inflicting losses of millions of rupees to the country, said traders and spinners.

The textile units included Ireland Textile Mills Limited, Standard Textile Mills Limited and Hafiz Textile Mills Limited, besides many other small textile units in Korangi industrial area faced the wrath of the miscreants. Cotton bales worth million of rupees have been turned into ashes at these mills while in Landhi Karachi, some cotton bales warehouses were also set on fire.

A Senior member of Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA) and President of PCGA Sanghar cotton belt region, Rana Abdul Sattar said that trade, business and industry was suffering heavily after the violence, making it hard for the industry and trade to function properly for the time being.

He said the country is already facing shortfall of more than 3.5 million bales during this season. The Chairman, All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) Iqbal Ebrahim has said that the textile industry in Karachi and interior of Sindh has been badly affected due to present deteriorating law and order situation, resulting in damage to machinery, infrastructure and production losses running into million of rupees.