KARACHI, Jan 1: President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry Anjum Nisar has criticised Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (Ogra) for allowing three to 17 per cent increase in gas tariffs.

He said Ogra and Nepra (National Electric Power Regulatory Authority) were playing havoc with the industry, business and common man. “The 18-hour daily power and gas outages have brought the export-oriented industry on the verge of collapse as they could not be able to deliver export goods in time,” he warned.

He said due to unjustified and unprovoked policies of Ogra and Nepra the cost of doing business had risen exorbitantly triggering massive closure of industrial units across the country besides forcing remaining plants were to work below capacity.

The latest increase in gas and power tariff would further cripple trade and commerce which would result in the shape of rising unemployment and lower revenues for the government, Anjum said in a statement.

He said the chamber had approached the president, prime minister and relevant ministries, but the results remain unproductive so far at their level.

The outcome of escalating problems of business community would be in the form of dwindling economy and worsening of lifestyle of common man, he added.