Aptma opposes Rs2.52/unit fuel price adjustment, warns of hit to textile competitiveness

The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (Aptma) has objected to a Rs2.52 per kilowatt-hour rise in the Fuel Price Adjustment (FPA) proposed for July 2026, saying the extra charge could weaken the price competitiveness of export-focused textile makers. Its chairman, Kamran Arshad, asked the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) to reject the proposal, arguing that factories should not pay costs unconnected to the service they receive.

Aptma also questioned the Incremental Consumption Package, under which extra industrial and farm power use is billed at Rs22.98 per kWh. According to the association, actual marginal generation costs have run above that level for most of the time since launch, so the shortfall should be recovered from the package's beneficiaries rather than the wider consumer base. It further described the July reference Power Purchase Price as unusually low, blaming flawed assumptions for the higher FPA.

Aptma stressed that exporters typically agree orders and fix prices months ahead, so unexpected energy costs hurt their standing abroad. The association also criticised running costly RLNG-based generation when cheaper options exist, and said Pakistani exporters already pay tariffs far above those of regional rivals. It asked Nepra to review the package promptly and to make sure costs fall on the parties responsible for generating them.