Fuel price hike: Govt appealed to save industry

Karachi:President of North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI), Nasim Akhtar and patron in chief Capt. A Moiz Khan have rejected the recently increase in power, gas tariff, oil prices and demanded Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of the increase and withdraw it without delay.

In a statement here Sunday, they sought the intervention of Prime Minister Imran Khan to save industries from collapse.

They have further said that due to expensive electricity, gas and oil our industry and exports are suffering and legging behind in the international market, keeping this in view Industrial NKATI leaders said that high power, gas tariff, petroleum prices as well as supply of gas at very low gas pressure to industries has made it almost impossible to continue production activities.

They said the cost of doing business has already increased manifold, leading to constant decline in exports and high trade deficit. They said that ever increasing cost of production making it difficult to complete export therefore the exports have started avoiding to take new export orders due to the financial burden.

The government is not in a position to provide gas with full pressure to the Industry due to which industry is faced with higher cost on operating below the capacity. The decision of hefty increase in power, gas tariff and oil prices is bound to damage the manufacturing sector and exports, they lamented.

Recalling Prime Minister, Imran Khan’s promise with business community of before coming into power, Capt. Moiz Khan and Nasim Akhtar said that Imran Khan had made promised reduce utility tariffs, facilitate business and promote exports and implement industry-friendly policies. However, Imran Khan honored none of his promises which caused disappointment in business community.