PSRMA welcomes crackdown on gas stealers

LAHORE: Pakistan Steel Re-rolling Mills Association here Saturday welcomed crackdown against gas thieves and assured the government of its full support to eradicate the black sheep that were destroying the entire steel sector and causing billions of rupees financial loss to the government.

PSRMA Chairman Ali Ahmad said the association had since long been calling for a strict action against power and gas pilferage as pilferers had forced the honest millers to close down their operations. "How an honest steel miller can compete with one who is manufacturing products without paying a single penny," he maintained.

The PSRM, he said, would never come in the way of an action taken against such elements damaging Pakistan for their ulterior motives, adding that SNGPL authorities should not bow to any pressure in this regard and continue to take action for the sake of industry.

He also urged the SNGPL authorities to ensure equal distribution of gas to all industrial sectors and take the private sector, being main stakeholder, on board while evolving load-management plans as the shortage of essential input of gas and electricity in the manufacturing process had become a major problem for the industry.

He urged the authorities concerned to share with business community the new gas reserves and supply and demand situation, as it had been reported that the current gas reserves were depleting and becoming insufficient to meet the national demand in future.