Boost to industries: Sherpao rejects increase in gas tariffs by Nawaz

Says new policy will create an industrial revolution in province

HARIPUR: Senior Minister for Irrigation Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao rejected the recent increase in gas tariffs announced by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Speaking to industrialists at Hattar Industrial Estate on Wednesday, he said if the decision was not reversed, it would have a negative impact on the industries of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa,

He added the people of K-P are facing electricity and gas load-shedding even though the province produces energy resources beyond its requirement and exports to other provinces.

“This has hindered many industries from flourishing,” he said.

The minister added, “The industrial sector can only develop and flourish if there was no scarcity of energy resources.

Although K-P has an abundance of gas, electricity and petrol supply, its industries were facing obstacles in development.”

He said frequent electricity and gas load-shedding affected K-P’s prospects for progress.



Beacon of hope

Sherpao said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf-led provincial coalition government was going to unfold an industrial policy on December 30.

“This will include rebates and facilities to investors that would facilitate a revolution in the industrial sector of the province,” he added.

Sherpao emphasised on the need to construct the western route of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and hoped the project will have a positive impact on the industrial sector of the province.

He said salaries of Workers Welfare Board employees would be disbursed soon and irrigation related problems of Haripur district would also be resolved.

Speaking on the occasion, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Industries Abdul Kareem Khan said terrorism had caused irreparable loss to the industrial sector in K-P as many industrialists shifted their investments to other provinces.

However, he said the new industrial policy of the provincial government would help win back the confidence of investors. He added the new policy would help to alleviate poverty in the province as it would create two million new jobs.

Qaumi Watan Party Haripur MPA Gohar Nawaz Khan also spoke on the occasion.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 24^th, 2015.