SIALKOT, Oct 14: The Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and major trading bodies have announced to closedown their businesses and launch protest demonstrations if power loadshedding schedule was not announced within a week.

Currently, the Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) is resorting to unannounced power loadshedding up to 14 hours and at some places even up to 18 hours daily.

Addressing a press conference at the SCCI here on Tuesday, chamber president Dr. Khurram Anwar Khawaja, Pakistan Sports Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association chairman Muhammad Akhtar Khokhar, Surgical Instruments Manufacturers Association chairman Sheraz Safdar, Pakistan Gloves Manufacturers and Exporters Association chairman and Markazi Anjuman-i-Tajraan president Mehar Ghulam Mujtaba said that the unannounced loadshedding was affecting businesses and industrial production and thousands of labourers employed on daily wages had been terminated owing to closure of factories.

They said that exporters were unable to dispatch their export consignments on time, causing frequent cancellation of their orders.

They urged the government to help them install solar energy systems on their premises to avert power outages.

They urged the federal government, Wapda chairman and Gepco chief executive to announce the loadshedding schedule within a week to save their businesses otherwise they would launch protest demonstrations.

CRACKDOWN: The FIA has decided to launch a crackdown on those travel agents in Sialkot who are busy in sending people abroad by using illegal channels.