The Pakistan Chemicals and Dyes Merchants Association (PCDMA) has said that the 55-rupee increase in petroleum product prices is severely harming commercial and manufacturing activities, making it extremely difficult to run businesses and threatening to cause severe damage to the country’s economy.
Salim Wali Muhammad, Chairman of the Pakistan Chemicals and Dyes Merchants Association, highlighted this critical situation today by making a direct appeal to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Petroleum Minister Ali Pervaiz Malik, and Commerce Minister Jam Kamal. He clarified that the increase in petrol and diesel prices is causing an extraordinary rise in business costs, particularly affecting the import and export sectors.
The PCDMA chairman warned that if the government is sincere about promoting industrial and commercial growth, it should take practical steps to reduce energy costs rather than imposing additional financial pressure on the business community.
Commenting on a recent government announcement, Mr. Wali Muhammad expressed skepticism about the Prime Minister’s reduction of four rupees per unit in the electricity tariff. He voiced the common concern that this apparent relief would be nullified by being clawed back from consumers and industries through future fuel adjustment charges.
He further explained that the combination of continuously rising electricity and fuel prices is directly endangering both imports and exports, warning that this will make Pakistan’s exports increasingly uncompetitive in the global market.
The chairman said, “Electricity is already expensive, raw material prices are rising, and now the record increase in petroleum products has become another threat to commercial and industrial activities.” He predicted that if the current situation persists, the country will face a sharp increase in inflation, a further expansion of the import bill, and a decline in exports, all of which will combine to severely damage the economy.
Salim Wali Muhammad concluded by urging the government to immediately realign its economic priorities. He emphasized that any genuine path to economic stability must involve stabilizing energy prices, reducing operational costs for businesses, and providing real facilities to the commercial sector. He stressed that without these fundamental changes, all government claims of economic recovery would remain hollow.