Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) has urged the government to withdraw hike in electricity tariff so that the economic targets set by the government could be achieved. The PIAF Chairman Irfan Qaiser Sheikh, Vice Chairmen Iqbal Baig Chughtai and Khawaja Shahzeb Akram said here Monday that due to repeated increase in the prices of inputs like electricity, Pakistani merchandise were fast losing their due place in the international market.
If timely measures were not taken to improve the situation, things could get out of hand, he added. The PIAF office-bearers said that the economy was not growing the way it was supposed to be because low industrial production and high cost of doing business while the bad law and order situation was adding fuel to fire.
They said that electricity tariff for industry in Pakistan was on higher side when is compared with a number of countries including China, India and Bangladesh. They said that in India and Bangladesh electricity prices for industry were 8 and 9 cent while in Pakistan electricity prices were 12 cent per unit. PIAF leaders said that Kalabagh dam could not only generate very cheap electricity but much water could also be provided to the agriculture sector.