Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) has flayed the increase of Rs 1.04 per unit in electricity tariff and demanded of the government to withdraw the decision immediately, as the raise in power tariff would not only put extra burden on already crisis-hit industry but it would also create multiple problems for the masses.
The trade and industry representatives including Chairman Pakistan Industrial and Traders Association Front, Sohail Lashari, Chairman Lahore Township Industries Association, Haroon Shafiq Chaudhry and leader of Ferozepur Road Industrial Association Shahid Baig in their joint statement on Wednesday said that the business community was surprised that instead of taking measures to control line losses and increase in power generation up to capacity, the policies are being evolved to add to the miseries of the businessmen.
They said that a large number of industrial units have been closed due to acute shortage of electricity. They said that if corrective measures were not taken, the situation could aggravate further.
The office bearers said that negative growth witnessed by the large scale manufacturing sector was indeed an eye opener for the government. The industry needed a continuous supply of electricity to keep the units operational and to complete the export orders well within the given timeframe but only because of the shortage of electricity was the main problem. They said that Pakistan had already lost a number of foreign order and and the increase in power tariff would make the Pakistani goods uncompetitive in international market. They also demanded of the government to start construction of Kalabagh Dam immediately as it would not only generate cheap electricity but would also ensure availability of water for the agriculture sector.