A gas cooker. PHOTO: REUTERS
Dharejo was addressing a joint press conference with representatives of industrialist organisations at Karachi Press Club on Thursday.
Expressing their concern over the suspended gas supply, the industrialists said that gas had not been available for 13 days out of 26 so far in December. They said that the industries were unable to function, adding that export orders could not be prepared in this situation while thousands of daily wages workers had been dismissed and notices had been issued to permanent employees as well.
The industrialists said that Sindh had the first right to the natural gas produced in the province, according to Article 158 of the Constitution, but the silence maintained by the prime minister and other ministers belonging to the ruling party spoke for itself. They added that the federal government was not paying heed to the gas crisis even though the Sindh chief minister had brought it up with the Council of Common Interests.
They further demanded that the government should ensure the uninterrupted supply of gas with the required pressure to Karachi's industries. They claimed that this issue had repeatedly arisen in Sindh over the last 11 years but no solution had been found to deal with it, adding that the industrial production of Pakistan's largest economic hub had been badly affected by it.
Pointing out the negative effects of the suspension on Pakistan's exports and the revenue generated in this way, they said that December is the month where they prepare the previously ordered exports and get new orders, but the gas crisis and the new gas tariff had put them in deep trouble.
Supporting the industrialists
"Industries in Sindh are suffering due to the federal government's inadequate and inefficient policies," claimed Sindh Minister for Industries and Commerce Ikramullah Dharejo at the same press conference.
"We are asking the federal government for our due rights, not begging for them," he stated, adding that Karachi's industrialists had been telling the government for a long time that their industries were being destroyed by the load-shedding of electricity and gas.
Declaring that the Sindh government stood with the industrialists, Dharejo said that if the businessmen decided to stage sit-ins against the federal government's policies, the provincial government would support them.
"The prime minister comes to Karachi but he does not have time to listen to the problems of Sindh's industrialists," he said, referring to Prime Minister Imran Khan's visit to Karachi scheduled for today. "Federal ministers from Karachi have also closed their eyes to these issues."
Dharejo said that Sindh was responsible for 70 per cent of the domestic production of gas as well as 55 per cent of the national exports, but its legitimate rights were still being denied.
Claiming that the "unjust policies of the unqualified government" had led to heavy taxes on gas, worth Rs175 billion, he said the levies were unbearable and destined to destroy industries.
He pointed out that gas load-shedding had left millions of homes cold and added that thousands of people had been left unemployed due to the gas crisis in the province.
The press conference was also attended by Karachi Industrial Forum chief Javed Bilwani, Council of Pakistan Textile Associations president Zubair Motiwala, SITE Association head Sulaiman Chawla, and representatives of North Karachi and SITE Super Highway industrial areas and the Towel Manufacturers Association.
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