Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) has strongly protested against continuous massive gas load shedding despite comprehensive cut in domestic usage and demanded of the SNGPL authorities to ensure availability of gas at least for five days a week for the industry.
The PIAF Chairman Malik Tahir Javed was talking to a delegation of the industrialists led by former Chairman of Lahore Township Industries Association Chaudhry Zaheer Bhutta. The delegation informed the PIAF chairman that despite change in weather and decrease in domestic use, SNGPL is providing gas for only 2 or 3 days. He said that SNGPL gas closure plan is proving last nail in the coffin. "SNGPL would have to reset its priorities regarding provision of gas otherwise situation would go out of hands".
He said that there is a global phenomenon that industry is given top priority whereas in Pakistan it comes to the least and other sectors are given priority. Malik Tahir Javed said that around 40 percent of the industrial units in Punjab run on gas and gas suspension means no production by almost half of the industry and a loss of millions of rupees to the exchequer.
He said that the 'discriminatory attitude' was not only denting its goodwill and reputation but had also put a question mark on its ability to manage and govern things. He said that the units in Sindh are getting almost uninterrupted supply except two or three hours load shedding. He said that least gas supply to the industry was a death knell for export-based industry and productivity.
He said that the decision has sent a very negative signal to the foreign buyers. He said that shortage of gas is not the only issue but its improper distribution also remains a cause of worry. Despite competitive quality and price, Pakistan exporters were unable to make delivery on time, he added. He said that it seemed that some elements in the Gas department were hatching conspiracies against the industrial sector. Malik Tahir Javed also stressed the need for early completion of Pak-Iran gas pipeline project in the larger interest of trade, industry and economy.