The Prime Minister, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani has directed the Ministry of Water and Power and Petroleum to ensure smooth power and gas supply to industry on top priority to expedite the industrialisation process in the country.
President, Pakistan Peoples Party, Punjab, Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan told APP Sunday that acceding to the genuine demand of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), an apex body of chambers in the country, the Prime Minister strictly directed for smooth and uninterrupted power and gas supply to all industrial areas to save the industry from being collapsed.
Rana said the country is currently facing the worst power and gas crises and that constant power and gas supply is a pre-requisite for country's economic growth and development otherwise, already fractured and bleak industry will suffer irreparable loss, he observed.
Further, he said industry and agriculture are vital national sectors requiring smooth electric and gas supply for development and added that industry and agriculture sectors must be given top priority over domestic consumers for power and gas supply, because these sectors are the backbone of the national economy.
Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan assured the VP SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry and veteran trade leader Iftikhar Ali Malik that President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani had directed all the concerned quarters to take stakeholders into confidence in relevant national policies and involve them in mainstream of policymaking decisions.
He said Ministry of Water and Power has also been further directed to chalk out power management plan after taking into confidence the office bearers of the respective Chamber of Commerce and Industry and priority be given to them.
Rana also said that in present scenario world-wide, the survival of any state exclusively depends on sound economy and quoted the example of then USSR, which was dismembered owing to bleak economy. He further assured Iftikhar Ali Malik that if any of the Chief Executive of the Distribution Company and any relevant officers of Pepco did not comply with the instructions of the PM, he will be taken to task.
Furthermore, PPP as per its manifesto always attached great importance to industrial sector and PPP government will look after the interests of the business community, he added. The President FPCCI, Sultan Ahmad Chawla, all the federation VPs, Hameed Akhtar Chadda, Haji Aftab Ahmad Barlas, Zakaria Usman, Muhammad Mansha Churra, Mumtaz Ali Sheikh, Mian Muhammad Adress, Chairman Businessman Panel, Tariq Sayeed hailed Rana Aftab Ahmad Khan for getting the instructions issued from the PM.