Energy crisis: industrialists, trade leaders threaten to stage demonstrations

Industrialists, trade leaders and industrial workers of Dera Ghazi Khan division have threatened to stage demonstrations, organising rallies and blocking the roads by observing "Dharna" if government did not resolve the energy crisis immediately.
President of D G Khan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DGCCI), Muhammad Anees Khawaja, said that government should ensure the regular supply of electricity round-the-clock to industry.
He said, "we condemn the discriminatory loadshedding of natural gas in Punjab province describing detrimental to industry. He urged the federal government to end discrimination with the Punjab province and ensure equal supply of gas as well as equal hours of load shedding in the whole country. M Anees Khawaja urged the government to immediately stop giving new connections, apply the same formula across the country for gas load shedding and waive off the mark-up to the trade and industry during the period, when the gas is not being supplied to the trade and industry.
The DGCCI President said that the government need to reset its priority regarding the supply of gas as the decision to stop gas to the industry has rendered thousands of daily wagers' jobless while it has also caused closure of a large number of industrial units that were used to remain in production in three shifts in 24 hours.
Anees said that it was very unfortunate that the economy of the country is the last priority of the present regime and only due to its non-seriousness towards the real issues is giving birth to a number of social problems and if the situation remains the same for quite some time it could also create law and order situation in the province. Chamber president said that gas was available in the system but artificial shortage was created perhaps just like electricity load shedding problem was created to make huge investments on IPPs. He said traders and industrialists were nothing less than fifth pillar of the state but they were being economically murdered.
He said that the government had forced their community to stop industries and come to roads to decide their fate. He said that present government has failed to run the system.
It is noteworthy that on Friday Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain, SNGPL authorities and industrial representation of Punjab have reached a partial deal under which two days a week gas supply will be restored to provincial industry from Wednesday.
However, federation of provincial chambers of commerce and industry had decided to continue its protests as per schedule following their separate talk with the minister ended in failure.
They said that the minister's assurance was uncertain because many such assurances and deals were not honoured in the recent past. On the other hand, APTMA leadership said they would see the situation, protest was the last option for them.
Under the deal 300-mmft gases supply would be restored to the industrial sector of Punjab from Monday. Muhammad Anees Khawaja, who is ex-Vice President of APTMA Punjab Chapter, said that in order to calm down protesting chambers, industrialists and textile mills association on the issue of the ongoing gas load shedding. Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources Dr Asim Hussain, on a directive of President Asif Ali Zardari, spent a busy day in Lahore on Friday. First meeting held at SNGPL headquarters where Federal Minister Dr Asim met with a five-member delegation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry while senior management of SNGPL including it MD were also present in the meeting, which lasted for an hour.