Textile processing, sizing industries call off strike

 KHALID ABBAS SAIF
FAISALABAD  (November 05, 2010) : Textile Processing and Sizing Industries have called off strike against Gas Shedding Schedule after restoring the gas supply, here on Thursday, while Owners and workers Powerlooms industry took out procession at various places and strongly demanded that the government should immediately banned the export of cotton and yarn to save the Value Added Textile Industry and its three million labourers across the country.

Protestors announced that if demands not accepted, the labour intensive powerlooms industry will observed strike for indefinite period from November 10. Talking to newsmen, Salamat Ali, Chairman, Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers & Exporters Association (PHMA) North Zone disclosed that the Federal Government has accepted the industrial demand to end the discriminatory gas shedding and assured that gas shedding will be observed across the board under a new schedule, which will chalk out with the consultation of industrialists.

He said that the spinners and other concerned lobbies are creating such an atmosphere as to force the labour intensive and export oriented Value Added Textile Industry to roll back and set down for complete closure. He mentioned that the excessive export of cotton and yarn was damaging the textile industry and exports. He pointed out that India had refused to provide cotton to Pakistan due to its shortfall, while our government facilitating the cotton and yarn exporters ignoring the three million shortfall of cotton.

Salamat Ali, Chairman, (PHMA) North Zone demanded that the export of cotton and yarn should be banned to control the burning situation, which hampering the industry and three million labour's livelihood. He said that the recent 60 percent increase in yarn within a month would also further aggravate the economic situation, while discriminatory gas shedding adding fuel to the fire.
He said that the spinners and other concerned lobbies are creating such an atmosphere as to force the labour intensive and export oriented Value Added Textile Industry to roll back and set down for complete closure. He mentioned that the excessive export of cotton and yarn was damaging the textile industry and exports. He pointed out that India had refused to provide cotton to Pakistan due to its shortfall, while our government facilitating the cotton and yarn exporters ignoring the three million shortfall of cotton.

Salamat Ali, Chairman, (PHMA) North Zone demanded that the export of cotton and yarn should be banned to control the burning situation, which hampering the industry and three million labour's livelihood. He said that the recent 60 percent increase in yarn within a month would also further aggravate the economic situation, while discriminatory gas shedding adding fuel to the fire.

He said that hike in the petroleum products prices would not only create problems for the weavers, knitters and exporters, but at the domestic front the cost of industrial production would also increase many fold. Doing unfair business for industrial sector is yielding negative impact on the domestic and foreign investment in Pakistan, which is registered 30 percent decline during the current fiscal year. Most of the industrialists are facing financial crunch, he added.

He demanded to the government that the export of cotton and yarn should be totally banned till meeting the demands of the domestic sector and should be eliminated the monopolists and capital Mafia, who are adding fuel to the fire by their speculative activities ignoring the national interests.

Addressing a media conference, Waheed Khaliq Raamay, Chairman Council of Loom Owners Association announced that if the government not control the excessive export of cotton and yarn, the power-looms industry would go indefinite strike, which is providing the livelihood to one million workers.
 
Source: http://www.brecorder.com/news/cotton-and-textiles/pakistan/1121208:textile-processing-sizing-industries-call-off-strike.html