KARACHI, Nov 13: Thousands of small and large sized industrial units are confronted with extremely low gas pressure and as a result, their production output has been affected severely. 

The representatives of SITE Industrial area, Korangi, Landhi, North Karachi, Federal B Area and Nooriabad industrial areas are of unanimous view that the low gas pressure is gradually leading to the death of industries.

The inadequate gas supply and extremely low pressure is not only crippling industries which needs gas for their processing activity but also those large industrial units which run their captive power plants (CPPs) on gas, they maintained.

Most of the large industrial units in the major five industrial clusters of Karachi shifted to self generation of power after the Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC) failed to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the industry.

However, this also seems to be not working because all the CPPs installed by the industry at a huge cost are run on gas which is also now not available and the industry is left in a limbo.

SITE Association of Trade & Industry chairman Dr Arshad A Vohra told Dawn that the issue of low gas pressure had been going on for long but lately it has assumed worst situation.

Korangi Association of Trade and Industry chairman Mohammad Zubair Chhaya urged the government to ensure gas pressure, adding “almost 40 per cent of the industry has shifted to self-generation by installing CCP) which are run on gas.”

Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association chairman Mohammad Jawed Bilwani said that gas shortages have already crippled industrial activity in Punjab and same scenario is now developing in Karachi.