'Raise in power tariff to hit tanneries'

Pakistan Tanners Association has said that huge increase in the electricity tariffs would not only damage the export industry but would also leave negative impact on the industrial production. While commenting on the recent decision of the federal government for making exorbitant increase in power tariffs, PTA Central Chairman Agha Saiddain told Business Recorder on Tuesday that unprecedented increase in power tariffs coupled with price hike of petroleum products would badly hit the entire industrial sector in the country and would cause irreparable loss to the export sector.
Agha Saiddain said that increase in electrical tariffs B1, B2, and B3 is average 50 percent and industry cannot sustain to this huge increase. He said "by this decision we have made all exportable items non competitive and the decision will bounce back with negative impact on our economy."
He said the government should have taken into consideration the negative impacts of the decision on various sectors of our economy. Like many other countries export sector should have been exempted from the recent increase, he maintained. PTA Chairman urged the government to lower the electricity tariffs for export industry to save the country's export.