Textile exporters have demanded an independent inquiry into, what they said, gross mismanagement and mishandling of gas supply by Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Company (SNGPL) that turned the gas shortage into a crisis.

Mian Zahid Aslam, former Chairman Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) said that textile exports from Faisalabad have declined by 20% since the beginning of present gas crisis. He said industry was suffering a loss of Rs 1 billion daily, adding that thousands of industrial workers, contract labour and daily wagers were facing joblessness.

He was critical of irregular and unscheduled cuts in gas supply that is causing closure of manufacturing units of value-added industry and hitting textile exports from the region very hard. He said that fluctuating supply by the company has totally upset the industrial sector.