Massive increase of Rs 1.67 per unit in electricity tariff is not only anti-industry but anti-masses as well and is bound to give a big blow to the catastrophe-hit industrial sector. Increase should be withdrawn immediately otherwise it would give a bad name to the government.
While severely criticising the unjustified increase in electricity tariff in the name of fuel adjustment, Chairman, Pakistan Industrial and Traders Association Front (PIAF), Sohail Lashari, and Chairman, Auto Parts Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Malik Tahir Javed said that the recent hike in power tariff is bound to jack-up the manufacturing cost of Pakistani merchandise and resultantly the country would become a trading hub.
They said that instead of increasing power tariff, the government should concentrate on cheaper means of power generation including coal-based power generation and hydel resources.
They also urged to government to curtail power theft and make the system more efficient. They said that the traders and industrialists would be left with no other option but to close down their businesses.
They said that recent monitory policy of State Bank of Pakistan has also revealed the gravity of situation while identifying stagnant economic activity one of the major factors.
They said that economy was on the verge of collapse due to highest-ever inflation, financial deficit, increasing internal and external debts.
They said that growth rate of manufacturing in Pakistan was only 2.9 percent as compared to 7.7 percent in India, 6.1 percent in Sri Lanka, 6.2 percent in Bangladesh and 9.7 percent in China. They demanded of the government to withdraw recent increase in electricity tariff and take concrete measures to enhance power generation in the country through hydel and alternate resources.
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