Industrialists and labourers stage sit-in against loadshedding

Industrialists and labourers on Thursday staged a protest sit-in in front of Site Association of Industry's (SAI) office against the persistent power load shedding in industrial areas that has now reached to 12 hours daily, and low gas pressure.
Around 400 labourers and industrialists staged sit-in from Zohar to Asar prayers. They chanted slogans against Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) and demanded of the government to take appropriate measures for keeping the industrial units operative. Earlier, a meeting was held at SAI office to discuss the prevailing load shedding and low gas pressure and its impact on the industrial productions.
Another meeting of the association is scheduled to be held on Friday to discuss the issues and decide future line of action. The participants severely criticised the KESC and it mismanagement for the prolonged load shedding. They urged President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain to intervene and take measures to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the industries.
Chairman SAI Mohammad Irfan Moton said that electricity load shedding had already adversely impacted economic activities in the city, but despite that those at the helm of affairs were paying no head to the issue. He said the hours-long load shedding in industrial areas was economic murder of the industrialists and the workers. "It has crippled production and resulted in heavy losses to the industry apart from affecting the export commitments," he added.
An industrialist claimed the hours long disruption of electricity to the SITE area alone has caused a loss over Rs 1 billion in term of production. In a statement, President, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Mian Abrar Ahmad has expressed deep concerns over the increased load shedding in the seven industrial zones of Karachi.
Abrar said that despite repeated reminders and efforts, the KESC was not adhering to regular power supply to the seven industrial zones of Karachi. "Due to the 12-hour load shedding, the industries of Karachi are suffering badly. Likewise, gas pressure is extremely low due to which the industrial production has almost come to a standstill," he noted. The KCCI and other industrial associations have appealed to the federal and provincial governments to look into the matter and asked KESC to stop load-shedding.