SIALKOT, Feb 3: The Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has rejected the recent increase in prices of petroleum products.

Talking to newsmen here, SCCI president Mian Babar Iqbal, senior vice-president Mohammad Sadiq Goraya and vice-president Mohammad Ashraf Malik expressed concern over frequent hikes in the prices of petroleum products and electricity and termed it a negative trend for the production sector.

They regretted that at a time when petroleum prices were declining in the international market, they were being increased in the country fortnightly.

The rising POL prices is a major cause of the persistent decline of national exports. Increase in the production cost of export items makes them uncompetitive in the international markets.

SCCI office-bearers demanded of the government to stabilize petroleum prices to give a boost to the local industry.

GAS-CUTS: People have strongly protested against the daily suspension of Sui Gas supply in the thickly populated areas of Sialkot and Daska.