SCCI concerned over 16 hours power loadshedding

Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry's (SCCI) President Ghulam Mustafa Chaudhry has expressed great concern over the unscheduled load shedding of 14 to 16 hours in Sialkot. He said 16 hours unscheduled load shedding had crippled the industrial activity and the export industry of Sialkot was on the verge of collapse.
Talking to media persons here on Tuesday, he said the electricity situation was damaging the export industry of Sialkot which produced against orders and delay resulted in cancellation of orders. "We have time and again appealed that authorities to realise the special status of Sialkot industry and extend favour and co-operation so that hard earned foreign orders are not disturbed but no one pays heed," he said, adding that no option had been left for the public and the industry but to protest against the forced load shedding.
SCCI President Mustafa Chaudary said it was very unfortunate that high ups including Chief Executive Officer Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) and concerned authorities had switched off their mobile phones and even reluctant to attend telephone calls on PTCL.
He expressed deep concern about the woes of Sialkot industry due to acute power crisis and said that concerned authorities had been repeatedly requested to provide a 200 MW power to Sialkot keeping in view its exclusive status of being the only export industrial city of Pakistan, because damage to exports would not cause irreparable harm to the economy only but would also create unemployment and generate crimes. He demanded the concerned authorities to work on war-footing to put an end to the massive power outages, as this criminal negligence was adding fuel to the fire besides mounting annoyance in the public.
He demanded that Pepco authorities should adhere to the circulated schedule. Any further delay in improving the situation, which is going from bad to worse with every passing day, might create immense social problems and violent protests.
He pleaded that the President and Prime Minister might intervene and instruct Pepco authorities to refrain from unscheduled load shedding in Sialkot and that power cuts from Islamabad should be stopped forthwith otherwise people would have no option left but to come on streets, which must be avoided at all costs.