KARACHI: A demand slump with a severe shortage of raw materials is hampering production activities across all major sectors.

Baluchistan Wheels Ltd (BWL) on Friday informed the Pakistan Stock Exchange that it would keep its production activities temporarily suspended on account of non-production days from April 7 till the end of Eidul Fitr holidays due to declining production volumes of assemblers and their dwindling sales.

The company said it would immediately resume production after Eid.

Separately, Ghandhara Nissan Ltd (GNL) announced a complete plant shutdown from April 10 to May 1 due to extensive upgrading activities in the paint shop.

GNL had kept its plant closed from March 6-10 due to hurdles in the import of raw materials.

On Wednesday night, Pak Arab Refinery Ltd (Parco) temporarily suspended its refinery operations for five days as part of its scheduled maintenance. The refinery, in a press release, said it would resume its operation by April 11 and this maintenance would not affect the supply of diesel and petrol.

Suzuki bikes get costlier

Pak Suzuki Motor Company Ltd (PSMCL) on Friday increased the price of various models of two-wheelers by Rs29,000-46,000 from April 5.

The new price of GD110, GS150, GSX125 and GR150 is Rs322,000, Rs350,000, Rs469,000 and Rs501,000.

Defending the price hike, PSMCL Public Relations Head Shafiq Ahmed Sheikh said the company was passing on a very minimal portion of the adverse impact of high demurrage charges, rising overhead expenses, costly local and imported raw materials, non-opening of LCs due to foreign exchange crisis and rupee devaluation.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2023