SIALKOT, April 6 The export-oriented industry of Sialkot is suffering badly owing to unscheduled load-shedding and power cuts which have been resulting in reduced industrial production.

The Pepco and Gepco have no satisfactory reply to queries on power outages.

The soccer industry has been affected badly by prolonged load-shedding of more than 12 hours.

The industry had somehow regained the lost foreign orders through rigorous efforts, but owing to prolonged load-shedding now industries are finding it difficult to deliver their foreign consignments in time.

Expressing concern over unannounced load-shedding, representatives of trade bodies said power failures have not only disturbed daily life, but have crippled the export industry in Sialkot.

They said that feeders in industrial areas remained closed for five to seven hours in the last two days which resulted in great financial loss.

Industrialists representatives at a meeting on Tuesday observed that they had been making all-out efforts to promote exports, considering it a national cause, but it was shocking that the Pepco was ignoring such an important industrial city where big and most modern export units are located.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Pakistan Readymade Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PRGMEA), Pakistan Gloves Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PGLMEA), Surgical Instruments Manufacturers Association (SIMA) of Pakistan, Pakistan Sports Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PSGMEA), Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA) Sialkot Zone, and Daska Engineering and Industrial Association Daska.

They said load-shedding was highly damaging for soccer industry as it would not be able to fulfil delivery schedule.

Similar is the case with surgical and other industries and the industrialists are in a fix on how to fulfil orders.

The trader representatives informed the meeting that they had already conveyed their sufferings to the President at a meeting at the Governor's House in Lahore.

They said that they had requested for a meagre supply of 130 MW, but no steps have been taken to ease the situation. They urged the President and the Prime Minister to intervene and instruct the Pepco to refrain from unscheduled load- shedding. They also demanded that the duration of load-shedding be minimised in Sialkot so that export production may not suffer.