Faisalabad
The Textile exporters have welcomed end of goods transporter’s strike as it was giving big blow to the export oriented industry causing delay of inland supplies and export consignments and also incurring billions of rupees loss to the economy.
Talking to newsmen here on Monday, Chairman Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA) Sohail Pasha appreciated the efforts of the Government to call off goods transporter’s strike in order to save economy from the loss of billions of dollars. Ongoing strike was inflicting a negative impact on exports and economy. Industry was facing shortage of raw materials for seven days and goods which were to be exported to Europe and other countries were withheld as truck owners observing strike against hefty increase in penalties on traffic rules violations on highways and motorways, he said.
Economic activities have come to a grinding halt due to the strike while a number of industrial units were fast heading towards closure due to non-availability of raw materials. Appreciating the government to take matter of goods’ transporters strike seriously and solve the issue, he said that non-availability of industrial goods was hampering the economic activities and exporters were unable to fulfill their commitments with their foreign buyers. There were hundreds of containers lying at ports for clearance and transportation on one hand and on the other; the foreign buyers were cancelling the orders.
He appreciated the Prime Minister Imran Khan, Governor Sindh Imran Ismail, Federal Minister for Communications Murad Saeed and Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Syed Ali Zaidi for considering the genuine demands of goods transporters in the greater interest of the country and to revive the economic activities.
PTEA Vice Chairman Haris Yousaf thanked the government for taking the transporters strike seriously at the peak export season for textile exporters. Pakistan’s trade was virtually cut-off from rest of the world due to the transporters strike,” he said. He claimed that around 20000 loaded containers were stuck up at seaports, dry ports and at industrial units across the country.
PTEA urged the government to adopt pro economic measures to avoid such type of strikes in the future.—INP
