HYDERABAD: Complete shutter down strike was observed on the call of Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) against exceptional increase in power tariff in Hyderabad on Monday. All main bazaars and markets remained completely closed.
HCCI president led protesting traders and businessmen who gathered at Kohinoor chowk at a protest camp while wearing black armbands. He led a rally there. At the end of rally he told protesting businessmen, small and big shop owners that business had become difficult due to increase cost of doing business.
He said that market were either facing closures or no customer situation. He said that unannounced load shedding had caused irreparable damages to business and trade activities.
He maintained that petrol’s per litre cot had been increased by Rs20 and export industry was not able to compete at regional level for its products. He said that industries were facing closure while workers were being laid off. He stated that traders and businessmen were being discriminated again on a daily basis.
He said that was glad to see unity among traders and businessmen on one platform. He urged caretaker prime minister to withdraw increase in power tariff in the larger interest in general public and economy. He said Hesco’s requirement was 900 megawatts but 700 megawatts power was being provided which was leading to unannounced load shedding. He said that Hesco should be provided 900 megawatts of electricity to overcome increasing unannounced load shedding.
He said that ceiling for relief should be increased from 200 units to 400 units and all detection bills should be done away with. He called for introducing mechanism to check power theft worth Rs600bn. He also thanked political parties including Muttahida Qaumi Movement, Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), Pakistan Sunni Tehrik, Jamiat Ulema Pakistan, Jamaat Ahl e Sunnat Pakistan, Jamiat Ulema Islam (Sami), Tahreek Labbayak Pakistan, Pakistan Markazi Muslim League, Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry and social welfare organization for accepting viewpoint of traders and supported strike call in larger public interest.
He also thanked chamber’s patron in Chief Ikram Rajput, patron Iqbal Baig, senior vice president Najmuddin Qureshi, vice president Awais Khan and all those colleagues who worked hard to make strike successful. Representatives of traders’ organization also congratulated HCCI president for a successful strike.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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