Revival plan: PIAF criticises economic managers

The Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) has severely criticised the government's economic managers for their failure in evolving an economic revival plan. The PIAF Chairman Irfan Qaiser stated this while addressing the PIAF Executive Committee here on Tuesday. He urged the Prime Minister to rescue the trade and industry from a further meltdown, as situation is fast heading to a complete halt of industrial wheel.
PIAF Vice Chairmen Iqbal Baig Chugtai, Khawaja Shahzeb Akram, LCCI Senior Vice President Sheikh Mohammad Arshad, former LCCI Presidents Mian Anjum Nisar, Mian Shafqat Ali, Mohammad Ali Mian, former Senior Vice Presidents Sohail Lashari, Yaqoob Tahir Izhar and Tahir Javaid Malik also spoke on the occasion. They all were one voice that an economic revival plan in consultation with the trade and industry was the only solution to ongoing crisis.
Giving a picture of the ongoing scenario, they said that discrimination in gas supply to the Punjab has crippled the industrial sector altogether and the industrialists were left with no option but to close down their industrial units. They mentioned that first time in the history, industry faced months-long gas load shedding in the summer season.
They said that Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani had directed the gas authorities to ensure five days a week gas supply to the Punjab industry but bureaucracy had thrown the directions into basket and industry was facing the fistula of gas non-availability. They said that industrialists were relying on electricity, furnace oil and diesel to run their operations but it has increased their cost of production and their products were unable to compete in the international market.
They said that discrimination in gas supply to the Punjab was adding up to the industrial losses with every passing day but government and SNGPL authorities seem uninterested to solve the issue. The Trade and industry leaders also urged the government to initiate work on Kalabagh Dam and Thar Coal project to ensure cheaper electricity to the trade and industry. They said that the Prime Minister should ensure implementation of his decision regarding supply of gas to the industry in Punjab, as the situation was fast getting out of hands.