Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry has slammed the prolonged electricity loadshedding in industrial estates, which have been adversely affecting productivity and caused job-losses in the province. It urged the federal government and Ministry of Water and Power, to take serious notice into the matter.
Speaking at an emergency news conference at chamber house here on Monday, KPCCI president Faud Ishaq said the electricity supply were cut off for nine hours to all industries in the province, despite having total industrial load only 165 mega watts. He said KP has been producing cheapest electricity of around 3600 mega watt through hydel generation, wherein industries were on verge of collapse.
Flanked by KPCCI vice presidents Haji Iqbal Khan Afridi, President Hayatabad Industrial Estate Ghazanfar Bilour, along with executive members, and industrialists, Ishaq urged the Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and Federal Minister for Water and Power, Khawaja Muhammad Asif to take notice of excessive electricity loadshedding to industries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Despite claims for supplying of uninterrupted power supply to industrial units in KP, he said the Pesco had failed to fulfil its commitment and prolonged electricity loadshedding was carried out in all industrial estates of the province. "The productivity is rapidly declined due to prevailing hour's long power outages to industries in KP, which only demand 165 mega watts electricity, while 8,000 mega watts electricity is being consumed by industries in Punjab, KPCCI chief said. He said it is true that the country is being faced electricity crisis, but KP is not given its due right as per 18th constitutional amendments, despite its generating electricity around 3600 mega watt through hydel resources.
Commenting on provincial budget for 2015-16, KPCCI president strongly opposed the imposition of infrastructure development Cess in the KP budget, to collect Rs 8000 per truck, and demanding to immediate withdrawal of the decision.