By Commerce Reporter
LAHORE: Managing Director Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Ltd (SNGPL) Mr. Amer Tufail has assured All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) of resolving all gas related issues of textile industry on top priority.
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2. He was talking to leading textile manufacturers and exporters during his visit to APTMA alongwith a team of senior SNGPL officials including Mr. Faisal Iqbal, Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Saqib Arbab, Deputy Managing Director and Mr. Jawad Naseem, Senior General Manager and other senior management.
3. Earlier, he was received at APTMA by Mr. Kamran Arshad, Chairman, Mr. Ali Ahsan, Mr. Aamir Fayyaz, Former Chairmen, Mr. Aamir Sheikh, Mr. Faisal Jawed, Mr. Muhammad Ali, Mr. Danish Aslam, Mr. Haroon Ellahi, Mr. Shaiq Jawed, Mr. Rehman Naseem, Senior Executives, Mr. Raza Baqir, Secretary General and other senior executives of APTMA member mills.
4. Amer Tufail said that Textile Industry has a share of more than 60% in the total exports of Pakistan and brings valuable foreign exchange of billions of dollars to the country. As such, incessant operations of textile mills is not only very important for the country but for SNGPL also. He added that export industry has always been extended high priority on supply of gas and SNGPL will continue to extend fully facilitation and cooperation to Textile Industry in order to meet their energy requirements. Amer offered to lay dedicated pipeline to the mills opting to use gas on 24 hours basis so as to save them from any gas outages or pressure issues.
5. Speaking on the occasion, Kamran Arshad highlighted excessive high tariff of gas especially imposition of unjustified levy on supply of gas. He added that levy has exorbitantly raised gas tariff which has become the highest in the region rendering our exporter incompetitive in the global textile market. He continued that tariff of gas supplied by SNGPL is even higher than RLNG price which has tempted the industry to switch over for purchase of gas from SNGPL to the open market suppliers. He continued that electricity supplied by grid now costs Rs. 29.60/kWh whereas electricity generated through gas now costs Rs. 41.63/kWh. This difference of Rs. 12.03/kWh per unit has forced many mills to stop consumption of gas. To illustrate his point, he informed that gas consumption by member mills during April 2025 was only 13 MMCFD as against average consumption of more than 150 MMCFD per month.
6. Chairman APTMA requested SNGPL to take up issue of excessively high gas tariff with the relevant authorities in the Government of Pakistan as well as IMF. He offered to host seminar in Islamabad with participation from all stake holders to highlight adverse effects of levy on gas consumption and abnormally high gas tariff which is not only hurting textile mills but also eroding the survival of gas distribution companies especially SNGPL.
7. MD Sui Northern Gas informed APTMA that all out efforts are being made for uninterrupted supply of gas to the entire industry especially to the export oriented sectors including APTMA member mills.
8. He appreciated the role of the textile industry in creation of jobs, attracting new investment and uplifting exports of the country. He acknowledged that any interruption in energy supply not only halts manufacturing processes but also retards exports causing grave set back to valuable foreign exchange reserves. He assured that all issues and irritants highlighted by APTMA would be sympathetically looked into and resolved on top priority. MD added that SNGPL would leave no stone unturned to ensure hassle free supply of gas to exporters of the country. Amer Tufail informed that all field formations of SNGPL have been directed to always remain vigilant and alert to attend to the issues of exporters without any delay. He requested APTMA to inform him in person in case of any non cooperation or delay on part of SNGPL functionaries.
