PESHAWAR, March31: Business community has strongly opposed any further increase in gas prices. Traders urged the federal government and Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority to dismiss the plea of Sui-Northern Gas Pipelines Company regarding 400 per cent increase in gas prices.
They warned the SNGPL that if the current tendency of gas price hike continues, they will be forced to disconnect their gas connections and opt for alternative sources of fuel.
They were speaking during an open hearing organised by Ogra on plea of Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited held in a local hotel.
Business community said KP has first right to avail advantage from its indigenous gas and other natural resources under the article 158 of the constitution of the country.
During the hearing, Faud Ishaq, president of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry informed the participants that total gas production of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is 615mmcfds against its consumption of 200 mmcfds in which only 35mmfcds gas were supplied to industry and 40mmcfds gas is consuming CNG sector.
Of the total gas production, he said KP is exporting surplus 415mmfcds gas to national lines despite that additional gas, the business community and people of the province have been deprived from gas facility.
He apprised that since last 13 year, not a single gas connection was provided to industry in KP, contrary to it, industrial gas connections were provided in Punjab, which is completely unjust with the K-P wherein the gas production is in surplus.
Apart from that, he said cost of raw materials for KP has increased manifold owing to faraway from port city, resultantly cost of business and industrial production also increased which has impacted negatively on businesses and the national economy.
Fuad Ishaq said total oil production of KP 31,000 barrels/ day which is 42 percent of the country’s overall production.
The SCCI chief said KP is producing surplus gas against its requirement despite that the province is putting it into the RLNG basket, which is also sheer unjust.
He feared that if the KP would be included into the RLNG basket, industries would completely shut down in the province that would trigger massive unemployment and also damage the national economy.
The chamber president urged the federal government, SNGPL and Ogra to not keep deprived KP from its constitutional right and ensure uninterrupted gas and electricity supply to industries and business hubs and to let them flourish in the province and bring economic prosperity and create job opportunities in the province.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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