LAHORE: Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) Managing Director Syed Ali Javaid Hamdani has assured the members of the All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) of uninterrupted gas supply during the winter season and resolving all gas-related issues of the export-oriented sectors on a priority basis.
He lauded the role of the textile industry in creating jobs, attracting new investment and uplifting exports of the country.
Hamdani was addressing the members of the association during his visit to the Aptma House, Lahore on Monday. He was accompanied by the top SNGPL management.
Aptma central chairman Abdul Rahim Nasir along with senior vice chairman Kamran Arshad, secretary general Raza Baqir, and other office-bearers of the association, welcomed him on the occasion.
The SNGPL official emphasised the need for frequent interactions and holding of regular meetings between the gas utility and Aptma for addressing all the issues on a priority basis.
He also assured the Aptma members of developing a mechanism to settle their complaints related to the return of the power distribution control (PDCs) of the Gas Infrastructure Development Cess (GIDC) arrears in accordance with the judgement of the Lahore High Court.
Despite acute gas shortage in the country, the SNGPL management was making efforts for uninterrupted gas supply to the member mills of the association during the coming winter season to keep them operational and to avoid any loss to the economy, in general, and exports, in particular.
Earlier, Rahim Nasir urged the visiting official to provide uninterrupted supply of 185MMCFD re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) in winter months to keep them operating and to ensure timely export supplies to foreign buyers.
Nasir also demanded withdrawal of SNGPL notices to textile exports requiring enhancement of security/guarantee at the normal RLNG rates instead of the $6.5/MMBTU tariff applicable to the export sector.
According to him, expeditious processing of load/new connection applications is the need of the hour to enable the industry to continue with the production of exportable consignments without interruption.
The Aptma official also expressed concerns over the delay in the reconciliation of GIDC arrears in the light of the Lahore High Court judgement regarding application of industrial rate and not captive rate for the calculation of GIDC liability and withholding of liabilities for the period prior to 2015.
He requested return of the post-dated cheques submitted to the gas utility in the light of the verdict by the Lahore High Court in GIDC arrears.
He regretted that the field staff of the utility agency was continuously threatening disconnection of gas, despite court orders and demands for stopping them from visiting member mills without associating Aptma.
His proposed convening of monthly meetings between SNGPL and Aptma focal persons to resolve the day-to-day issues of the industry. He also urged for delegation of powers to regional offices for trivial matters like date extension of bills, low gas pressure, etc.
Senior vice chairman Kamran Arshad thanked senior management of the SNGPL for sparing time to visit Aptma to personally have an insight into the gas-related problems of the industry.
He expressed the hope that with the incessant supply of gas at regionally competitive tariff, the textile sector would be able to achieve the lofty textile export target of $21 billion for the current year, investment of $5 billion and creation of additional 500,000 jobs.
