Govt urged to allow production at Karachi Export Processing Zone

ISLAMABAD: Exporters have sought the federal gov ernment’s intervention in allowing production activities at the Karachi Export Processing Zone (KEPZ). Ex porters as well as businessmen have written a letter to the KEPZ Authority secretary, seeking permission to continue production activities so that their pending ex port orders could be completed. “We are manufacturers and exporters of embroidered laces in KEPZ under the name of Eurotex. We have also shut our production in order to safeguard our labours and community in the wake of the coronavirus crisis,” states Mustafa Hu mayun of Eurotex in the letter. “Today our customer has informed us that our competitors/exporters in the Karachi SITE area have resumed production. If we (Eu rotex) are unable to deliver goods, they (the foreign cus tomer) will cancel orders and transfer to other suppliers running production.” Humyaun requested the KEPZ secretary to allow the company to partially run with the limited staff so that they might fulfill their orders, other wise the company would lose its customers as well as precious foreign exchange. “Our machines with 4 me ters in size are installed far from each other so the work ers will not be in close contact with each other. We will also make arrangements to give masks and sanitisers to labourers upon their arrival and before leaving the com pany.” Officials, however, say police and other law en forcement agencies are not allowing employees of EPZs to visit offices due to lockdown.