Talking to Business Recorder some textile mills owners termed the power suspension a suicidal mistake by government advisors, saying that the decision would negatively affect the government vote bank. The government's inability to meet the demands of the industry will not only jeopardise the already fragile economy, but also deprive it of millions of votes.
The government is supplying gas and power to the other three provinces but has suspended it for the Punjab industry with the largest vote bank. Government advisors are pushing it to the brink of disaster at a time when general elections are very close. The Ministry of Water and Power has disconnected power supply to all factories of Punjab for an indefinite period of time, where 80 percent textile industry of the country is located. Power suspension has forced the industry to close down industrial units all over the province which would lead to massive decline in textile exports.
The power disconnection has entered its sixth day. However the government has yet to give any assurance to the industry for the restoration of power. Gas too has also been curtailed in the province, they maintained. The federal government has informed APTMA leadership that the general election is coming near and domestic consumers were the top priority of the government and not the industrial sector. Therefore, power would remain suspended indefinitely.
Industry sources termed the new power load management plan as extremely risky for Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Punjab, which would not go in its favour in the upcoming general election. They said that about 4 to 5 million workers would become jobless while the economy would suffer a loss of Rs 100 billion per month if electricity and gas were not restored to the industry immediately.