Textile manufacturers, industrialists, printing mills' owners, exporters, power loom owners, hosiery manufacturers, sizing industry, foundry and engineering groups have criticised the power distribution company (Fesco) for over-billing, wrong preparation of bills, overcharging the consumers and SNGP and discriminatory cut down of gas supply to consumers in the Faisalabad region and business, industry and trade.
In a joint meeting of the leaders of the 15 industry and trade-related associations, it was stated that two departments supplying energy and power to industry and trade were hampering the normal running of business, trade and industry in the Faisalabad Region.
Briefing the newsmen after the meeting, Mian Zahid Aslam, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) said that FESCO was indulging in frequent over-billing, overcharging not only to business, trade and industry but also to domestic consumers. He said that wrong billing was creating harassment among consumers and they were forced to spend most of their time in getting their bills corrected from the FESCO offices. These small consumers and small industry owners were forced to lose their day's earnings attending the FESCO offices for correction of their bills. Additionally the industry particularly the small entrepreneurs, stitchers and retailers were also getting extra-ordinary high electricity bills, which upset their business and they were suffering losses.
The representatives of trade, business and industry attending the meeting also criticised the arbitrary and highly discriminatory cut off of gas supply to the Faisalabad region. They said that gas supply to the Lahore region was for 5 days whereas for Faisalabad the supply was only for three days. This, they said, was a devastating action taken by the gas authorities and was highly destructive for the business, trade and industry of the region. The participants of the meeting also criticised the high rates being charged by the electricity and gas authorities from the industry, business and trade sectors and from the consumers compared to the other countries of the region. Substantiating his argument, Zahid Aslam said that the rate of electricity in Pakistan was 10.3 cents per KWh, while in Bangladesh it was 5.4/KWh and in Sri Lanka 9.1 cents/KWh. Similarly rate of gas in Pakistan was Rs 485.13/MMBTU in Bangladesh, equivalent to Pak Rs 260/MMBTU and Sri Lanka equivalent to Pak Rs 330/MMBTU. The tariff charges of both electricity and gas in Pakistan were therefore the highest in the region and highly burdensome to the manufacturers and exporters of textile goods from the Faisalabad region.
The joint meeting held in the FCCI Complex, expressed deep disappointment over the economic policies of the Government and frequent load-shedding of the gas and electricity supply, making it difficult for business, industry and trade to run their factories, mills and other establishments. They urged the government to take serious cognisance of the problem and take appropriate remedial measures. The meeting was attended by vice president FCCI Chaudhry Muhammad Boota, Vice Chairman PHMEA Syed Zia Alamdar, Chairman All Pakistan Cotton Power looms Rana Ikhlaq Ahmad, Regional Chairman APTPMA Engr. Rizwan Ashraf, Chairman PTEA Asghar Ali, former chairman APTMA Naveed Gulzar, Chairman Foundry Association Seth Iftikhar Ahmad, Chairman Soap Association Muzammil Saleem, Chairman Embroidery Association Naddem Ishfaq Puri and Chairman APBUMA Imran Mahmmod.
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