Captive power generation, CNG stations: government's move to increase gas tariff opposed

Chairman Site. Association of Industry (SAI), Abdul Wahab Lakhani, has opposed government move to increase gas tariff for captive power generation and CNG station.
Commenting on a news item that under power sector reforms program, the government is planning to increase gas prices, for CNG sector and captive power generation plants installed in private sector, to reach price parity with petroleum products with the objective of discouraging the use of gas a cheaper product.
Abdul Wahab Lakhani urged the President , Prime Minister of Pakistan and Federal Minister of Petroleum Syed Naveed Qamar to direct the ministries concerned to keep the issue of reaching price parity with petroleum products in abeyance and maintain status quo for the gas prices and not to think of increasing it to the level of petrol prices.
He said that the government is withdrawing the privilege given to the captive power generation plants owners in private sector, who have invested billion of dollars to import gas generator sets to generate power for use within their industry and thus stay competitive against regional competitors; as the government has failed to provide the required quantum of load to the industries under the prevalent shortage in energy sector.
Abdul Wahab Lakhani said that the government should appreciate it that the private sector is helping the country to over come the shortage of power and are investing huge amount in capital cost to import the generators. Instead of encouraging the industries, the government is unfortunately considering to increase the prices of gas for captive power generation plants, which he says would not only be inadvisable but counter productive.
The cost of doing business is increasing day by day due to haphazard and short term government polices, especially continuous and unabated enhancement of prices of utilities some of which are highest compared to regional competitors of Pakistan.-PR