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LAHORE: The All-Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) has termed the proposed Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Policy 2011 a right step.

Aptma Chairman Gohar Ejaz said on Wednesday that the textile industry production was badly hit by gas shortage of 900mmcfd in winter and 400mmcfd in summer, limiting the industry production by 30 per cent below the potential.

He appreciated the efforts of Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain for taking personal interest in bringing LNG into the system, a very vital project proposed by Aptma under its five-point vision presented to President Asif Ali Zardari in January 2011.

Appreciating the President for his prompt response to Aptma’s call by constituting a committee to formalise a policy, Gohar said Mr Zardari was urged to ensure short to medium term solution for gas shortage to save industry, jobs, and exports of the country.

Assuring full support to the LNG Policy 2011, Gohar expressed the hope that the textile industry would be able to overcome 500mmcfd gas supply shortage.

Import of LNG under the LNG Policy 2011 would be a considerable relief to the textile industry in the years ahead, he added.

However, the Aptma chairman pointed out that direct import of LNG by third party and its direct supply to consumers would only be beneficial to the IPPs and not the general public as well as textile industry. Therefore, it would be advisable that the LNG supply should be brought into the gas pool of the SNGPL and the SSGC, already having 4000mmcfd gas.

An addition of 1000mmcfd LNG should be made part of the system and the weighted average tariff of the total supply including LNG should be passed on to all consumers. The imported LNG would be three times expensive than the natural gas available in the country, he added.

Aimed at sustainable development of the energy sector, the proposed LNG policy has been for optimising the primary energy mix on economic and strategic considerations, maximising utilisation of indigenous energy resources and enhancing private sector participation in the energy sector by strengthening the regulatory framework and institutional capacity.

The Aptma chairman said the government should expedite the import of LNG on an urgent basis to mitigate the negative impact of gas shortage for industry during the upcoming winters and summers.