Loadshedding: ‘Caretaker government disappointed industrialists’

FCCI warns govt of street protests if unscheduled load-shedding continues.

FAISALABAD:

The Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) president warned the government of street protests on Friday if unscheduled electricity loadshedding was not stopped within two days.

He said most parts of the district were facing 18 to 20 hours of unscheduled loadshedding.

He said the businessmen had requested the government to take notice of the situation, but it had remained unmoved.

He said that 1.5 million daily-wage workers in Faisalabad were being affected by loadshedding.

He said Faisalabad was getting 600MW electricity against a demand of 2,000MW.

He said, “Some more days of hunger will force these workers to the streets. This time, they will be more violent.”

He said after the previous government’s tenure ended, the industrialists hoped that the caretaker government would provide them some relief. “They disappointed us,” he added.

He said loadshedding had badly affected their production resulting in a delay in export shipment. He said it had also affected the domestic supply of textile.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 18^th, 2013.