‘Supply to captive power plants stopped’ Export sector to be ruined if gas not supplied to it: KATI chief

KARACHI: Managing Director of the Sui Southern Gas Company Ltd (SSGCL) Imran Maniar has said that his organisation lost Rs21 billion in the past, but has made a profit of Rs2 billion after taking appropriate steps. Due to the shortage of gas, supply to all the 780 captive power plants has been stopped.

He said so during a luncheon meeting at the offices of Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI).

He expressed the hope that gas supply to the captive power plants will be restored in the next few months. Four district offices of the SSGCL have been established where all facilities have been provided for customers. His is a distribution company, and there are other organisations that are engaged in gas production, he said.

Despite the serious difficulties caused by gas shortage, all possible steps are being taken to facilitate the industries, said the SSGCL managing director.

President of KATI Faraz-ur-Rehman said that the export industry is facing difficulties due to the gas shortage. At the same time, the problem of low gas pressure is being faced by all the sectors. The export industry will be ruined if gas is not provided to the industrial units.

Due to the closure of industrial units involved, exports are decreasing and imports are increasing, leading to widening of the trade deficit, added the KATI president.

Zubair Chhaya, the CEO of KITE Limited, praised the services of Imran Maniar for making the SSGCL a profitable organisation. Industries in the developed countries are given priority for the improvement of economy. Unfortunately, gas supply to sectors on a priority basis is not ensured here, said Zubair Chhaya.

He said that due to the rising gas prices, production costs in general had increased manifold, which the industries cannot afford.

Chairman of KATI’s standing committee and its former president Ehteshamuddin said that the SSGCL’s chief had always supported solving the industries' problems. It is thought that it is impossible to supply gas as per its demand. But still it is necessary to keep the industrial cycle running.

KATI’s former president Zahid Saeed said that measures were to be taken to increase exports, but due to poor policy exports are continuously decreasing. Industries are closing due to the difficulties faced by them.

On the occasion, Senior Vice President Nighat Awan, Vice President Muslim Mohammadi, former presidents Zahid Saeed, Saleem-uz-Zaman, Farrukh Mazhar, Fazal-e-Jalil, and senior officials of the SSGCL Syed Fasihuddin Fawad, Adnan Sagheer, Aamir Mumtaz Khan and Abdul Razzaq were also present.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023