The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has revealed that 144 textile mills across the country have shut down, primarily due to soaring electricity and gas costs, heavy taxes, and rising industrial rates.
APTMA Chairman Kamran Arshad emphasized that industries can only grow if electricity is available at Rs25 per unit, rather than the current Rs35, noting that Pakistan’s energy costs are higher than in India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam.
He also highlighted that electricity consumption fell by 19 percent in November, and the closures have hurt textile exports.
Additionally, the recent one-and-a-half-week strike by the container association worsened the situation, delaying the transportation of import and export goods.
Mill owners have urged the government to allow more time for paying electricity bills and take steps to ease business operations, pointing out that the industry is already facing severe financial challenges.