Pakistan's textile industry, a key export driver, is facing an existential crisis driven by rising energy costs and global pressure for sustainable production. The article argues that reliance on imported fossil fuels is no longer viable. It highlights the shift from net metering to net billing as a policy that undermines solar investment, pushing factories toward costly battery storage instead of accelerating clean energy adoption. The piece calls for a national carbon accounting system, stable renewable energy policies, and integration of industrial zones with solar power. Without these changes, Pakistani exporters risk losing ground to competitors in India, Bangladesh, and Vietnam who have lower energy costs and stronger policy support for green manufacturing.
