Business forum rejects tariff increase

Chamber of Commerce expresses anxiety over proposed five per cent increase in gas tariffs.

SUKKUR: The Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sukkur expressed its anxiety over the proposed five per cent increase in the gas tariffs for domestic, commercial and industrial consumers.

They said the decision was being under pressure from international monetary agencies. The management committee said that the proposal about clustering natural gas, which is a domestic produce, tariff with prices of imported oil was unjust and wrong. It will affect the economy adversely, they added.

The decision will cause gas theft to rise, which will increase losses for distribution companies.

Most of the power plants are gas run and the increase in the tariff will ultimately raise the electricity tariff as well, which is already too high.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 20^th, 2010.