All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to defer the industry’s gas and electricity bills’ payments for three months due to the ongoing lockdown to control the spread of deadly coronavirus.

According to 24NewsHD TV channel, APTMA in a letter written to the prime minister demanded deferment of the collection of March and April bills and demanded extension of three months for submitting sales tax returns.

The APTMA said Federal Board of Revenue should defer the collection of sales tax returns till June 2020 and State Bank should delay the interest collection from industries for one year. The APTMA demanded that the government should give 50 percent of the salaries to the industries employees amid the COVID-19 pandemic.