Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif presided over a meeting on Friday at Chief Minister''s Secretariat to discuss problems in supply of sui gas to Punjab. Minister for Petroleum, Naveed Qamar and office-bearers of various chambers of commerce and representatives of different industries were also present. Traders and industrialists while highlighting their problems said that it would be difficult to operate their industries if the shortage of gas persisted.
The chief minister while addressing the meeting said that the problems underscored by industrialists and traders regarding supply of gas were genuine and the federal government should take immediate measures for their solution. He said that this issue should also be raised in the Council of Common Interests. He said that despite shortage of gas, if industrial sector was operating in other provinces, it was a matter of satisfaction but it should not be at the cost of Punjab.
Shahbaz said that a uniform policy should be adopted in the whole country regarding supply of gas. He said that the Punjab government was working on Liquefied Natural Gas project for overcoming energy crisis and federal government has also assured co-operation in this regard.
Qamar said that demand of sui gas was growing due to which people and industrial sector is facing problems in its availability. He said that the issue regarding complaints of Punjab about shortage of sui gas would be presented in the Council of Common Interests. Member National Assembly Khawaja Muhammad Asif, Chairman CM Initiatives Entity Haroon Khawaja, Chairman Planning & Development, Secretaries of Commerce, Irrigation, Vice Chairman Punjab Investment Board, Director General Gas, Managing Director Sui Northern Gas and Member OGRA also attended the meeting.