Prolonged power outage and low pressure of Sui gas was adversely hitting the industrial sector, trade activities and common man in this export-oriented city and hub of cottage industry of the country. The exporter community was confronting with multiple problems due to unscheduled electricity load shedding.
These views were expressed by Chairman Departmental Committee of Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Wapda Mian Muhammad Anwar while talking to media on Thursday He said this electricity load shedding adversely hitting the industrial sector of Sialkot as a result of which the exporters are facing serious problems in fulfilling their international commitments while the foreign buyers are reluctant to give new orders to Pakistani exporters and considering to shift their business to other countries due the poor condition of electricity.
Anwar said the unscheduled load shedding was also affecting domestic, small businessmen, persons working on daily wages, hospitals, and clinics. He said that Sialkot is earning US 1.5 billon dollars through its export annually and strengthening the national exchequer as well as providing employment opportunities for thousand workers including women folk. Apart from this manufacturers as well as poor segment of the society were confronting with grim economic constrains but it was very unfortunate the concerned quarters were ignoring this highly sensitive issue.
Mian Anwar said that in this modern era, which is an epoch of economic war, most the countries are providing concessions and incentives to their industrial sectors just to become economically better but unlikely in Pakistan the picture is very bleak and totally against as compared to the other countries because everyday the imposition of taxes and increase in petroleum and electricity prices had become a permanent feature.
Most of the key buyers were considering shifting their businesses from Pakistan, which will be a serious blow to national economy and ultimately Pakistan will not lose its international credibility but also lose international market. Sialkot is known globally for producing value-added and standard products but the government has failed in taking remedial measures for protecting the industry from load shedding.
In order to avoid crippling of industrial sector there is an immediate need of providing inexpensive electricity to the industry as well as to minimise the growing miseries of the poor segment of the society. He urged upon the government that major industrial towns including Sialkot should be exempted from load shedding.
Comments
Comments are closed.