Steel millers demand restoration of gas supply

LAHORE: Steel millers in a meeting with the LCCI Senior Vice President Kashif Younis Meher at the LCCI, have demanded the government to restore gas supply to steel industry.

Representatives of Pakistan Steel Re-rolling Mills Association (PSRMS) and Steel Melters Association (PSA) have said if gas supply was not restored, nearly half-a-million workers would be jobless and the government would lose around Rs14 billion tax revenue.

They said that gas supply had been suspended to over 300 steel mills of Lahore. Furnace oil can be used as an alternate

They also said that suspension of gas supply would result in total closure of 28 industries of steel sector.

Steel sector representatives appealed to President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gillani, Federal Petroleum Minister and MD SNGPL to order to restore gas to steel re-rolling mills and steel melters.

Kashif Yunus Mehr disclosed that the executive committee of the Lahore Chamber would soon be meeting to prepare a strategy on the issue of gas supply closure to the industries.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011