Industrialists demand uninterrupted gas, electricity supply

K-P manufacturers also called for prompt steps to resolve the LCs issue which is halting industrial activity

PESHAWAR:

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa industrialists have demanded of the government to ensure low-cost and uninterrupted electricity and gas supply to manufacturing units.

Besides, the K-P manufacturers have called for prompt steps to resolve the letter of credits (LCs) issue which is halting industrial activity.

These issues were taken up during Governor Ghulam Ali’s visit to the industrial estate, Hayatabad, Peshawar on the invitation of Industrialists Association Peshawar (IAP). Mayor Peshawar Zubair Ali also accompanied the governor.

President IAP Malik Imran, in his opening remarks, raised various issues of industrialists mostly related to electricity, gas, collection of fixed billing charges, and quarterly tariff adjustment in power bills, etc.

K-P is producing natural gas in surplus quantity and new discoveries of gas were also reported in the province, the IAP chief said, adding that under constitutional article 158-A, the first right on K-P’s natural gas is of the people of K-P, however, a cheap and uninterrupted electricity supply is not being provided to industrial, commercial, and domestic consumers in the province.

Similarly, he voiced concern over fixed billing charges and quarterly tariff adjustments in power bills, saying that K-P is also self-sufficient in electricity production but electricity was unavailable to industrial and commercial consumers in the province.

The IAP president demanded immediate halt to fixed billing charges and collection of quarterly tariff adjustments besides ensuring provision of uninterrupted power supply to industries.