FAISALABAD:All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association (APTPMA) has appealed to the government to allow the textile exporters for payment of electricity bills according to ZRI (Zero Rated Industrial) package till 30th June 2023.
In a statement on Friday, APTPMA Chairman Muhammad Pervez Lala said that withdrawal of Regionally Competitive Energy Price (RCET) on energy tariff including gas and electricity to export-oriented textile industry had affected national export drive.
He said that export-oriented textile processing sector was already confronting with a host of problems which had increased cost of doing business in addition to reducing productivity and rendering products uncompetitive in the domestic and international markets.
Elaborating, he said that according to recommendations and assurance given to the textile sectors by the government that Regional Competitive Energy Tariff (RCET) on electricity and gas would be kept continue till 30th June 2023, but the RCET on electricity was withdrawn all of sudden w.e.f. 1st March 2023.
He said that textile exporters had booked various orders on the contemplation of the said Zero Rated Industrial (ZRI) package with their foreign buyers accordingly, but abrupt withdrawal of ZRI package had constrained the exporters to either cancel their export orders or face huge loss due to massive increase in cost of energy prices.
He said that the textile processing units had appealed before the learned High Courts to get relief, but according to recent orders of the learned Lahore High Court, the petitioners were directed to pay their electricity bills retrospectively at normal prices.
APTPMA Chairman appealed to the government and the learned Lahore High Court to reconsider the case and allow the textile exporters to pay their electricity bills according to ZRI package till 30th June 2023 “if we intended to enhance our exports, stabilize the economy and stay in the business.”