Forced electricity loadshedding: trade bodies hold out 48-hour ultimatum to government

All trade bodies including Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) have given 48 hours ultimatum to government to end 15-18 hours forced electricity loadshedding in Sialkot. Addressing an emergent meeting of all trade bodies held on Tuesday at Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) they alleged that forced loadshedding was being carried out by the concerned authorities intentionally due to political differences in Punjab.
They further said that the exporters, manufacturers, industrial workers and traders would jointly stage "Dharna" (sit-in) if this burning issue was not resolved within 48 hours. Addressing the emergent meeting President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry said that electricity crisis has crippled the industrial and economic activities and made life a nightmare for the people.
He said that the export industry is heading towards complete closure, as it is unable to supply foreign order to the buyers within time frame. The orders are being cancelled and new orders have dried up and situation is immensely grim and serious due to unscheduled loadshedding, he said. The SCCI President further said that workers are loosing jobs and factory owners are seriously considering migrating to other countries to remain active and to feed their families.
The whole society was in the grip of great frustration leading to crime and severe mental unrest, he said. The SCCI President further said that Sialkot is comparatively a small city but has immense importance due to its export industrial status adding that the city needs to be treated better in terms of supply of power and other facilities to run export industry, supply to foreign buyers and providing jobs to hundreds and thousands workers. Due to shutting down of the industry the entire work force would be jobless and foreign trade would be halted, he said. The SCCI President further said that it is unfortunate that concerned authorities are totally oblivious of situation and subjecting Sialkot to loadshedding and power cuts of 15-18 hours whereas in other cities loadshedding was being carried out for short time.