Tariff disparity: APTMA fears USD5 billion exports cut

ISLAMABAD: In a letter addressed to Finance Minister Ishaq Dar today, The All Pakistan Textile Mills’ Association (APTMA) has urged him to restore gas tariff to USD9 per MMBTU immediately to avert looming industrial instability by protecting national exports and employment in Punjab.

In the letter, Patron-in-Chief APTMA Gohar Ijaz has expressed fears of a sharp reduction of five billion dollars in textile exports due to the unavailability of competitive power tariffs. 

“This grave state of affairs will lead to closure of several industrial units leading to further unemployment and severe decline in tax and duty revenue collections,” according to APTMA.

Textile exports increased from $ 12.5 billion to $ 19.5 billion Fiscal Years 2020-21 and 2021-22 due to the availability of competitive power tariffs which made pricing of textile products competitive in the international market according to Ejaz.