FAISALABAD: Eight associations of the Textile Forum have announced that they will go on strike if the government further pushes them to the wall by “diverting their share of electricity to domestic consumers.”

Rumour has it that the government plans to minimise power outages for domestic consumers ahead of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s long march.

Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association chairman Khwaja Amjad told a press conference on Wednesday that the industrialists had come to know that the government was planning to increase duration of loadshedding for the industry within a day or two to facilitate domestic consumers.

He said the industry had been facing only four-hour power suspension during the last government tenure and electricity rate per unit was Rs9. Now, they had to pay Rs16-18 per unit despite more than 12-hour outages.

Industrialists say they fear power diversion

Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Sohail bin Rasheed said the businessmen and industrialists were cooperative with the government but the latter had done nothing to ensure smooth functioning of the industry.

Former Pakistan Textile Exporters Association chairman Arif Touseef said depreciation of dollar did not benefit the entrepreneurs as the cost of doing business remained unchanged.

BUSINESS DISTRICT: The district government has notified various roads, zones and arteries of the city as Central Business District (CBD).

District Coordination Officer Noorul Amen Mengal has issued the notification. The roads and zones declared CBD included Susan Main Boulevard (both sides), Jaranwala Road from a filling station to Tezab Mills Road (both sides), Habib Jalib Road at D Ground, People’s Colony (both sides), Harrianwala Road (both sides), Hashmat Road from Jaranwala Road to D Ground, People’s Colony (both sides), Ripple Plaza Road at D Ground, People’s Colony (both sides), Batala Colony Road from Gate Chowk to Pahari Chowk, Fawara Chowk at Peoples Colony No 2 (both sides), D Ground Road Commercial Centre, plots of 135/C to 126/C to 141/C at People’s Colony (both sides) and Sattiana Road from Saleemi Chowk to Gate Chowk (both sides).

The DCO said the initiative had been taken to create more investment, business and employment opportunities in the city. He said a comprehensive redevelopment plan would be prepared for the CBD.

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2014