Lahore, January 03, 2018 (PPI-OT):Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) will establish a facilitation desk at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry that will be headed by the LCCI Vice President Zeeshan Khalil. It was decided at a meeting between the LCCI President Malik Tahir Javaid and Managing Director SNGPL Amjad Latif at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The LCCI Senior Vice President Khawaja Khawar Rashid and Vice President Zeeshan Khalil also spoke on the occasion while meeting was also attended by Amjad Ali Jawa, Tahir Manzoor Chaudhry, Muhammad Arshad Chaudhry, Adeeb Iqbal Sheikh, Rizwan Akhter Shamsi and other members.
It was also decided the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry will appoint a focul person for coordination with SNGPL on day-by-day issues. LCCI President and MD SNGPL also formed a committee comprising LCCI Vice President Zeeshan Khalil, Tahir Manzoor Chaudhry, Muhammad Arshad Chaudhry, Adeeb Iqbal Sheikh and Mian Muhammad Nawaz to facilitate businessmen in connection with their gas related problems.
MD SNGPL Amjad Latif said that establishment of facilitation desk at LCCI and appointment of focal person will help resolve issues in shortest possible time. He informed the house that new connections for industries, commercial activities and housing societies are open as gas supply situation is better after arrival of RLNG. He said that RLNG is being promoted as alternative fuel. He said that all cases have been processed by SNGPL. Just a few little issues are coming in the way that are being removed. He said that gas losses are coming down while further improvement will be witnessed with the passage of time.
The LCCI President Malik Tahir Javaid said that industrial gas connections were temporarily shifted to RLNG from sui gas under the plea of gas shortage. He said that at present situation is far better than past but still connections have not been re-shifted which is causing huge financial loss to the industrialists. He said that RLNG is 122 percent more costly than natural gas.
He said that Pakistani merchandise are already facing tough challenge in the international market and exports have fallen by around $ 6 billon within last couple of years because of high input cost. He urged the MD SNGPL to re-shift the industrial gas connections from RLNG to the old Sui Gas tariff connections. He also urged the government to give 25 percent subsidy to those industries which are using RLNG as fuel. He said that old tariff should be imposed on those industrial gas connections that were disconnected because of some reason.
The LCCI President said that disparity in gas prices within the country is hitting the industrial sector hard. He said that it is matter of concern that there are different tariffs of gas for the industry in same country. “How the industries can compete each other when it has not a level playing field within the country”, he questioned. He said that this issue should be resolved through Council for Common Interest.
He said that staff of SNGPL disconnects gas connections of industries without any prior notice that is a sheer injustice. He said that industries must be informed well before the time so that they can pay their dues. Malik Tahir Javaid also complained of low gas pressure to the industry and in Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate and other industrial areas and called for corrective measures without any delay.
For more information, contact:
Information Department
Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI)
11-Shahrah-e-Aiwan-e-Tijarat,
Lahore -54000, Pakistan
Tel: +92-42-111-222-499
Fax: +92-42-36368854
Website: www.lcci.org.pk