FAISALABAD/MULTAN - The entire spinning industry in the country including 350 mills of South Punjab region went on a two-day strike on a call given by APTMA against imposition of regulatory duty on yarn export. The spinning units were shut down and no work was done. Resultantly, thousands of labourers lost their work. In Multan, the APTMA office-bearers staged a protest demonstration against government outside Multan Press Club. They chanted slogans and demanded immediate lifting of the duty. InFaisalabad, All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) observed strike and took out protest rallies against imposition of 15 per cent regulatory duty on the export of yarn. The main rally was taken out from Khurianwala, where the APTMA office-bearers and labourers of different mills symbolically offered 'Namaz-e-Janaza for the spinning mills. They demanded for the removal of the duty on priority basis, saying that it would destroy the spinning industry. They announced to observe strike on Wednesday (today) too against the govt decision and said that it was totally one-sided decision of the govt. On the other hand, the value-added textile industry forum also protested against the government and demanded to impose minimum 30pc regulatory duty on the export of yarn. The value-added forum concerns added that prices of cotton and yarn in Pakistan had gone up by 95pc, whereas, in India the prices jumped only 15pc and in China only 20%. As a result, hundreds of manufacturing units have closed down and millions of workers have been rendered jobless, it said. They demanded that govt should impose 30pc regulatory duty on the export of yarn to discourage the culture of yarn export. They said that the situation has come to such a stage that the industrialists are unable to run their mills and are struggling for survival. Meanwhile, the APTMA said on Tuesday imposition of duty on yarn export was going to cause a loss worth Rs 20b to the spinning sector as a result of which this industry would collapse. Addressing a press conference here at Multan Press Club, Coordinator APTMA Anees Khawaja, Mian Amir Naseem, Dr Khalid Khokhar and Farid Moghees strongly condemned governments decision and said that the APTMA would continue its country-wide campaign against it. They said that the entire spinning industry stood united under the umbrella of APTMA and a strike call would be given for indefinite period if the duty was alleviated forthwith.