Owners of marble factories have threatened to shut their industries units in protest against excessive power outages. They urged the provincial government and Pesco to install separate electricity feeder to ensure uninterrupted electric supply to their marble units.
Addressing a news conference at the Peshawar Press Club, All Marble Tiles and Chips Industries general secretary Haji Hemat Shah said the marble is export oriented sector which is major source of job creation but also generating hefty revenue for national exchequer on head of various taxes. But, he regretted the marble sector is on verge of collapse due to government apathy and continuous power outages and tripping issues. He said it will take hours to re-energize marble unit, which had compelled us to reduce the shifts that has caused production as well as job losses.
Flanked by the association, vice president Zafar Khan Kundi, SVP Malik Sharif Khan, finance secretary Fayyaz Khan, executive members Izat Khan and Faheem Khan; Shah said they are regularly paying out electricity bills, worth millions of rupees, despite the fact, the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (Pesco) had failed to provide uninterrupted electricity supply to marble units in Peshawar. Similarly, he added that the government had also generated huge revenue on head of various taxes from the sector. He further said the sector is providing jobs to large number of people despite the current unfavourable situation.
The association president informed that around 310 marble small and big units have been set up on Warsak Road Peshawar, which is house to employment for more than 12,000 to 13,000 people. But, he said factories owners have forced to lay off workforce due the prevailing situation. Shah said KP marble is exporting in different areas of the country as well as foreign countries, attached business of a large number of people with this important sector. He warned that if the Pesco would fail to address their reservations, they will compel to shut all marble units and strongly protest against them.