LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Friday urged the government to avoid any increase in the gas tariff.

“At present, when the economy is excelling and economic indicators are portraying an encouraging picture, increase in gas tariff would dash all efforts of the government,” LCCI president Ijaz A Mumtaz said in a statement.

He said any increase in gas tariff would be a big blow to trade and industry which was trying to supplement the government’s efforts aimed at economic revival despite various challenges.

An increase in gas tariff would jack up cost of doing business manifold and oust the export-oriented industries from the international export market where Pakistani products were already facing hard competition, the statement said.

“Anti-business acts would hamper the growth of the manufacturing sector,” it added.

The LCCI president said that the government machinery always vows to take the private sector on board but it never bothered to consult the LCCI or any other sector-specific association while making the decision for a hike in gas or electricity tariff.

“By making such decisions, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority is not doing any service to the industry but is rather widening the gap between the private sector and the government,” the statement added.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2015

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