Gas outages hit Karachi’s industries

Imtiaz Sheikh accuses PTI govt in Centre of politically victimising

KARACHI:

The production process at the industrial units and factories in the Sindh Industrial and Trading Estate (SITE) Area was badly affected while some of them remained dysfunctional due to the suspension of gas supply to the industries on Saturday.

Provincial Minister of Sindh for Energy Imtiaz Sheikh condemned the suspension of gas supply second time in a week. He said in a statement issued on the day that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's government in the Centre was doing injustice with Sindh just to avenge being rejected by its people.

"A gas crisis is being created deliberately in Sindh by suspending the gas supply for straight 56-hours," said Imtiaz.

According to Sheikh, Sindh was being discriminated by gas and electricity load shedding in extremely hot weather.

The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) cannot get away by claiming a technical fault in Gambat gas field, he contended, demanding that the supply of gas should immediately be restored for the industries and gas stations.

Besides, SITE Association of Industry President Abdul Hadi claimed that the completion of export orders was at risk due to the suspension of gas supply. He said that the gas crisis has intensified due to the non-provision of gas by the SSGC.

Hadi appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan and federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar to take notice of the gas crisis and order the SSGC to restore the gas supply with the required pressure so that the industries resume operating properly. He claimed that the industrial units and factories in the SITE Area had been facing gas shortage for one week before the absolute suspension of gas supply.

Several complaints were filed in this regard but no action was taken, he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 20^h, 2021.