The President of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI), Afan Aziz, referring to the demand of Punjab's business community and other quarters for equitable distribution of gas to all industrial sectors, said that Khyber Pakhunkhwa (KP) has availed full protection under Article 158 of the constitution, and Peshawar High Court (PHC) has already decided case in its favour.
Addressing a press conference here at SCCI on Wednesday, he said that KP gas consumption has increased during last 10 years with 12 mmcfd, whereas Punjab has province doubled with 500 mmcfd. "How can we compare Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab under the equitable formula?" he questioned.
Flanked by SCCI vice president Ziaul Haq Sarhadi and executive members, he said that Punjab's business community had raised the issue of equal distribution of gas to industrial sectors, but ignored the huge disparities in infrastructure, investment, employment, GDP growth in Khyber Pakhtunkwa over past many years with other provinces. "Where were these voices when the policy of disparity in distribution of development funds was being pursued and economic growth and development was being concentrated in Punjab and Sindh?" the SCCI chief said.
Giving last two years' statistical data regarding domestic, commercial and industrial consumption of gas, he said that there are huge gas consumption and production gaps between Punjab and KP. He added that the industry share is very undersized as compared to Punjab, while the industrial growth also stagnated in the province.
Aziz opposed the demand by Punjab business leaders about 'equitable distribution' of gas among provinces, terming it a conspiracy against the people of KP. "There is huge economic disparity between Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as industrial gas consumption in the former is 20 times more than the latter, whereas Punjab`s population is four times higher than that of KP`s," he maintained.
About slow pace of economic and industrial growth, he said that investment had immensely declined owing to unfavourable environment in the province, adding that there was not provided transport subsidy like developed or underdeveloped nations, where the benefit extended to business community. Due to absence of facility, he said, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has much suffered.
"We had suffered a lot as compared to other parts of the country in ongoing war against terrorism," he observed. Though, he said, the investment has reduced, but the province stands as net exporter of gas with discovery of new reservoirs by exploration in different parts. However, he said, Punjab had demanded share in the natural resources instead of supporting them. "We are already providing required share to Punjab province from existing natural resources, but it has unjustly demanded for paltry consumption in industry and CNG sector.
Those who are demanding equitable distribution, Aziz said, should focus on own resources, and asked for adopting the idea within the province. He stressed for avoiding availability of new connections in CNG sector. He feared that the province would deprive of its legitimate right for exploiting maximum gas resources owing to provision of new CNG connections.
He said that the investment would be improved by earmarked for gas sector, which ultimately created job opportunities. He further said the electricity shortfall would also be addressed by local gas production, which is around 130 mmfcd, adding that the figure was easily produced 600 MW electricity, whereas the shortfall is about 500 MW in the province. He said that the SCCI would use all means for protection of legitimate rights of the province. He said the issue would be taken up with parliamentarians to resist any such illegal demand of Punjab.