Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (Piaf) has outrightly rejected the government decision to jack up gas prices by 14 percent from January 1, 2012. The Piaf Executive Committee met here on Wednesday under the leadership of Sohail Lashari and took a strong exception to a decision that would give a deadly blow to the entire industrial sector that had already fighting for its survival due to an acute shortage of electricity and gas.
The LCCI President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh, former presidents Mian Anjum Nisar, Mian Shafqat Ali, Mohammad Ali Mian, former LCCI Senior Vice President Sheikh Mohammad Arshad, Piaf Vice Chairmen Nadir Kamal Osman and Junaid Iqbal Sheikh were prominent among the other participants.
The Piaf Executive Committee members said that the decision makers must have the understanding that the country at the moment was passing through very challenging times and is in dire need of facilitation but it is very unfortunate that the things are moving the other way round.
Lashari said that all economy related policies must be evolved with the consultation of the business community but no policy maker has ever contacted any of the trade association while making decisions. He said that when the input cost would be uncertain, how any businessman would be able to make business deals. The Piaf Chairman said that the level of GDP growth was not poor as compared to other South Asian countries but alarmingly down putting question mark on the performance of the policy-makers.
He said that there is no denying the fact that the country has a shortage of gas but the delay in execution of Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline is beyond the understanding of the business community. He said that work on this mega project of national importance should be started without any further delay and the business community for being the stakeholder should also be taken onboard.
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