ISLAMABAD: All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) has urged Power Division to allow concessional electricity tariff to Lasbela Industrial Estates Development Authority (LIEDA).

In a letter to Secretary Power Rashid Mehmood Langrial, Executive Director APTMA Shahid Sattar has apprised that industries located in the Lasbela Industrial Estates Development Authority were being denied the concessional power tariffs (RCET) awarded by the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) and reaffirmed by the Cabinet due to purely administrative reasons.

APTMA is of the view that despite the Attorney General’s stance that all Export-Oriented Units (EOUs) are eligible for the concessions, the LIEDA-based industries have not been provided with the Regional Competitive Energy Tariff due to delays in the formulation of the necessary procedures.

APTMA maintains that export-oriented units in other industrial areas have been receiving electricity at concessional rates, denying LIEDA-based industries the same privilege is clear discrimination.

“We request the Power Division to take action to address this issue and ensure that LIEDA-based industries are treated equally to their counterparts in other industrial areas,” Sattar said adding that consequently, these customers have accumulated a significant amount of arrears.

As per correspondence with LIEDA management, the outstanding amount up to February 2023 has reached the amount of Rs. 1,294,434,463/-. This has imposed a considerable financial burden on these customers and has also adversely affected the growth of the industrial sector in the region and a severe liquidity crisis for these companies, Sattar continued. APTMA has further stated that the issue has been consistently brought to the attention of the Ministry of Power, emphasizing that the delay is in no way attributable to the consumer. “Since the RCET has been revoked by the Government, we request the Power Division to clear these arrears as a priority,” Sattar added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023