Business community in Sialkot was formulating a strategy for initiating electricity generation project to get rid of load shedding on permanent basis and ensure the production wheel spun in full motion. The Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) had already constituted a committee headed by Babar Iqbal on energy for giving final shape to the proposed project, it was revealed in a news conference on Friday.
The proposed energy project would generate 20 to 30 megawatts which would cater the need of the industrial sector in Sialkot. On this occasion the members of business community alleged the prevailing load shedding was carried out intentionally to hit export-oriented city that bringing a huge foreign exchange for the country. In addition, they termed the city was instrumental in providing employment opportunities to thousands of industrial workers. But the prevailing energy crisis created multifarious problems not only for industry but for the industrial workers too especially the daily wagers, they pointed out.
They urged the government to exempt the major industrial cities like Gujranwala, Lahore, Faisalabad and Sialkot from load shedding of electricity and gas. Due increased energy tariff, the production cost had also been swollen to many folds and the foreign buyers hesitating to give new orders to Pakistani exporters.
They said it was impossible for the business community to compete in international market under the prevailing energy crisis and felt handicap to meet international market due to high cost of the production and energy crisis, with unsustainable political situation of the country, they said.
Addressing on occasion, the business leaders gave an ultimatum to the government to address the energy load shedding within a week and if the situation remained same the business community along with industrial workers would launch a strong but peaceful protest.