RAWALPINDI, Sept 2: The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) here on Monday staged a protest demonstration against the increase in power tariff.

The RCCI president, Sohail A. Sethi, led the protest rally. He said the frequent increases in power rates had led to across- the-board price increases, enhancing manufacturing costs which made Pakistani products less competitive in the international market.

He said this was the main reason for the stagnant exports, which were hovering around Rs9 billion mark, despite the efforts by the private sector to raise it.

Mr Sethi criticized the military government for increasing power rates and imposing 15 per cent GST. He said the situation amounted to withdrawing the citizens right of free access to the basic amenities of life.

He said the government should not blindly follow the dictates of the IMF and World Bank and rid the country of their hold.