TOBA TEK SINGH, Dec 25: If the government failed to control the price hike of polyester, small unit owners will be forced to close their business.

This was stated here on Saturday by a senior member of All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA), Haji Muhammad Aslam, while talking to reporters.

He said as a result of price hike, not only Faisalabad's yarn market would face crisis but the powerlooms would face great financial loss and thousands of workers would lose their jobs.

Haji Aslam said polyester price had been raised from Rs60 per kilogram to Rs94 per kilogram during the last six months. Industrialists were forced to purchase indigenous polyester which was costlier than the foreign-made stuff but the government collected duty on imported polyester under an agreement signed 10 years ago with ICI.

He demanded cancellation of the agreement and stoppage of collecting of duty on imported polyester to save local polyester yarn industry.

PROBE: Gojra DSP Altaf Husain started inquiry against three police officials suspended on the charge of negligence of duty by Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi during his visit on Dec 19. They are; Inspector Waheed Shahid, former Gojra city police SHO, and sub-inspectors Liaquat Ali and Muhammad Asghar.