Energy crisis puts Pakistan’s textile industry in trouble

The textile industry is an important pillar of Pakistan’s economy, with Punjab Province’s textile industry accounting for more than 70% of the country’s total. Since 2011, due to insufficient power supply, the production capacity of the textile industry in Punjab has dropped by 40%. Since April this year, the energy crisis has caused the closure of some textile factories in Punjab Province, a large number of workers losing their jobs, and the textile industry’s export losses reaching 1 billion US dollars. Before 2011, there were almost no power outages in the textile industry in Punjab. In 2011, the power outages were 4 hours a day, 6 hours a day in 2012 and 2013, and 8 hours a day in 2014. Although the industry has repeatedly called on the government to help solve the industry’s difficulties, and the latter has also responded positively, the shortage of power supply has not been alleviated.