SIALKOT, Oct 24: Up to 40 per cent export orders of Sialkot traders have been cancelled due to unscheduled loadshedding while hundreds of small industrial units with no alternate power arrangements, have been closed down, according to traders’ bodies.

Sialkot’s all trade bodies met on Friday to discuss ‘energy crisis’ at the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI). Dr Khurram Anwar Khawaja, SCCI president, chaired the meeting.

Decline in exports was about 30 per cent in the beginning of Oct, which has now escalated to 40 per cent.

The participants learnt the Gujranwala Electric Power Company had failed to announce schedule for loadshedding overlooking appeals by Sialkot’s traders.

SCCI President Dr Khawaja said that everyday 16 to 18 hours loadshedding had brought trade and industrial activities to a halt and thousands of daily wagers had lost their jobs.

He said a majority of small industrialists, exporters and traders had announced not to pay their electricity bills in protest against loadshedding.

He said Sialkot-based exporters and industrialists had ensured their cooperation to the government to install solar energy system in Sialkot factories.

They said they were unable to dispatch their export consignments on time to foreign destinations therefore foreign customers were canceling their orders.