FAISALABAD - The industrialists and thousands industrial workers of Faisalabad have strongly resented "forced holidays" due to weeklong suspension of gas supply since December 8. Labourers were of the view that they have been thrown out of employment as industries were virtually closed due to suspension of gas supply for the last seven days. "We have exhausted whatever savings we had and now our families are forced to face starvation" they added.On the other hand, industrialists complained that they were finding it difficult to meet their export orders as a result of the weeklong forced holidays due to gas supply cut and incurring huge losses, while the country was also loosing much needed foreign exchange.The industrialists said that industries were already running on 30% of their installed capacity due to six hours load-shedding of electricity and the suspension of gas supply over the last one-week has rendered the industrial wheel to a complete halt. They said that the textile sector was the worst hit and it would not be able to fulfil the export orders for Christmas and the New Year on the one hand and on the other would not be able to avail the EU Autonomous Trade Preference Scheme (AUTPS) 25% quota granted to Pakistan.The industrialists and workers appealed to the government for early restoration of gas supply to the industries to save them from virtual starvation.Seminar highlights role of working women: The district government and Women Development Department organised a seminar in connection with International Working Women day here on Friday. MNA Begum Khalida Mansur was the chief guest while DCO Muhammad Amin Ch participated as guest of honour in the seminar. MPAs Mrs Anjum Safdar, Dr Gazala Rana, Razia Joseph, Afshan Farooq, Addl District Collector Syed Bilal Haider, ACs - Zaheer Anwar and Shafiullah Khan, Gender Specialist Sh Muhammad Ehsan and women working in education, health, police, social welfare and other departments including private sectors participated in the seminar. Speaking on the occasion, MNA Begum Khalida Mansur said that Punjab CM Shahbaz Sharif had taken practical steps to eliminate the deprivation and disappointment of working women in the society. Enumerating the measures of the Punjab govt, she informed that job quota in government department for working women had been increased 5 per cent to 15 percent besides relaxing upper age limit for women candidates up to three years. She maintained that the CM had already announced women economic empowerment package under which financial loans were being advanced to the women on soft terms for initiating small scale business and stamp duty for the transfer of inheritance property in favour of women had also been abolished. She pointed out that Pakistani women possessed great potential but they lacked opportunities to participate in the national development process. She paid rich tribute to the Punjab CM for celebrating the days of working women and holding seminars at tehsil, district, divisional and provincial levels. DCO Muhammad Amin Ch while addressing the seminar highlighted the status and importance of women in Islam and announced that a special counter would be established at DCO Office for facilitating, guidance and information of the women. DEO (E) Waseema Zahida, Mrs Rana Afzal Khan, Sarsabaz Foundation Managing Director Dr Naveeda, journalist Miss Saira and other women speakers also spoke on the occasion and identified the issues and problems confronted to the working women.