Cement makers assail deteriorating law, order situation

LAHORE: All Pakistan Cement Manufacturers Association (APCMA) has shown serious concerns over deteriorating law and order situation, which is threatening their heavy investments.

“The law and order situation in Dera Ismail Khan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Kohat, Mianwali and adjacent areas has seriously jeopardized the day to day operations of the areas’ cement units,” said the APCMA spokesman on Wednesday.

He added that recently some workers of a cement unit in one of the above mentioned areas were kidnapped by terrorists and they killed one of them. Terrorist are generally demanding huge amount of money as extortion and give warnings of serious consequences in case their demands are not met.

“This is a serious situation and the government should take strict measures to control and manage the law and order situation in those areas,” said the spokesman.

He added that the cement industry is in expansion phase and heavy investments have been planned which could be jeopardized due to this situation, creating long term issues for the industry.

“Besides, the industry’s investment of billions of rupees in the said areas has also been endangered by these terrorist activities,” said the spokesman.

He added that this deteriorating law and order situation could also pose threats to local employment and create unrest in the said locality.

The cement industry is amongst the highest contributors to the national exchequer and has contributed approximately PKR 240 billion in taxes in FY 2022-23. Furthermore, the cement industry also earns valuable foreign exchange by exporting cement and such exports in the year 2022-23, clocked-in at approximately USD 210 million.

The APCMA spokesman appealed to the government to immediately take strict measures to establish peace in the said areas in order to save the industry’s investments and employment base.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024