KARACHI: Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum (PBIF) President, Mian Zahid Hussain has said that Karachi is the economic and commercial hub of the country and being a port city it should not face shortage of energy but unfortunately the gas and power companies seem more interested in blaming each other than resolving problems.

Lauding the decision of the government to bring an end to the monopoly of state-run companies in the gas sector, he said that government should also consider breaking monopoly of certain companies in the power sector to provide relief to masses and trigger national development.

Mian Zahid Hussain said that presently LNG is cheaper than local natural gas, therefore, there is no justification in shortage of gas and crisis.

He said that the government has allowed the private sector to import and distribute gas which will have a positive impact on investments, production, exports, employment and environment.

He said that state-run utilities have become famous for corruption, nepotism, mismanagement and favouritism resulting in a gas sector circular debt of Rs250 billion.

The utilities would never serve masses and would not allow others to serve the masses and business community through conspiracies.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020