KARACHI: While expressing serious concerns over non-provision of gas to export and general units for the last many months in the Site area, industrialists on Thursday asked the government to resume immediate supplies to save them from disaster.

They said electricity tariff should also be reduced so as to continue industrial production without interruption and to avert cancellation of export orders by meeting shipment dates.

Addressing a joint press conference Businessmen Group chairman Zubair Motiwala and Site Association of Industry chairman Abdul Rasheed said industries often face the problem of gas pressure which normally remains between 1.0 to 1.5 psi and units cannot be run on such a low pressure.

They said they had taken up the matter with Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, Commerce Adviser Abdul Razak Dawood and the SSGCL managing director, but did not get any result.

As per Article 158, Sindh has the first right to the gas produced in the province.

As such, the requirement of Sindh industries should be met first and then, the gas should be provided to other provinces. The Sindh government, they demanded, should ensure implementation of Article 158 of the Constitution as the KP government has successfully done it in their province.

The cost of production, particularly for small and medium enterprises, has increased substantially and the government should seriously consider reduction in electricity tariff.

It is no justice to impose sales tax at the rate of 34pc on small industries, they lamented.

The government is shutting down captive power plants of industries while the electricity tariff is being increased.

Published in Dawn, November 19th, 2021