July 13, 2023 (MLN): The production activities of industries have gone down by 30% due to the complete gas suspension for two days every week by the Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (PSX: SSGC), President Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) Mohammed Tariq Yousuf appealed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Minister of State for Energy Musadik Malik to take necessary actions, a press release issued today stated.
In a statement issued, President KCCI stressed that the government must urgently respond to the miseries being suffered by Karachi’s industrialists due to the unavailability of gas.
Thereby if such an alarming situation continues, the country would not be able to come out of economic crises particularly when the industrial units, including general as well as export-oriented industries, were underperforming in terms of production.
“The federal government must save its repute by ensuring uninterrupted gas supply to industries at any cost as the poor gas supply situation is not only aggravating miseries for the business community but is also denting government’s efforts to ensure ease of doing business”, he added.
He was of the view that depriving Karachi of Gas/ RLNG was beyond understanding as nobody was taking Karachi’s matchless role into consideration which, being the textile and industrial hub of Pakistan.
The city contributes 68% of revenue to the national exchequer and 54% to national exports while 52% of textile exports also take place from Karachi.
The President said that Karachi continues to undergo discrimination that has led to causing severe production losses of more than 30% a week due to reduced or no supply of gas.
Moreover, the inequitable conduct and discriminatory treatment in the largest city were totally intolerable and highly deplorable.
President KCCI said that the Sindh province has been producing around 68 to 70% country’s gas but it was really unfortunate that the industries in Karachi remain deprived of gas which was purely against the Article 158 of Pakistan’s constitution.
He also demanded that the first priority in respect of gas supply must be given to industries of Karachi which contribute more than 54% to national exports, provide the highest urban employment, and generate the highest taxes for the Government, besides being the highest subsidy provider.
He further emphasized that instead of prioritizing gas to the domestic sector, uninterrupted gas supply at adequate pressure to industries must be given throughout the week as a top priority.
Whereas the domestic sector should be provided gas via bousers/ cylinders or at least they should be charged full gas price as applicable to other sectors.
Where in the world the residential consumers are treated on top priority, he questioned, adding that natural gas should be provided on economic considerations to compete in the world.
Keeping in view the present government’s resolve to create an enabling business environment and pull the economy out of crises, Tariq Yousuf hoped that the decision makers would urgently pay attention to the gas load shedding issue which has to be addressed at any cost so that the production activities as well as the exports could start picking up pace.
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Posted on: 2023-07-13T17:35:29+05:00
