F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: President, Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sherbaz Bilour has expressed concerns over frequent increase in power tariff and suspension of natural gas supply to industries by Feb 01.
In a statement issued here on Monday, Sherbaz Bilour severely criticized the government over price of electricity Rs1.95 per unit, putting burden of Rs200billion on consumers, what he called it as an incomprehensible, unjustifiable step of the government, which is completely unacceptable and completely rejected it.
SCCI chief feared that unavailability of basic utilities, like gas and electricity would bring the country’s economy on brink of complete collapse that could trigger massive unemployment in the country.
Sherbaz stated that the hike of Rs1.95 per unit in electricity tariff to put an additional burden of Rs200 bilion on consumers is a complete unfair move of the government, which should be withdrawn immediately.
He voiced concern over a whopping increase in the country’s circular debts, which has almost touched Rs2.4trillion, criticizing the incumbent government for inability to control over the increasing circular debts.
The chamber president said it is also a matter of grave concern that the billion collection/ recovery has dropped from 93 per cent to 88 per cent, which is a major cause of hovering the circular debts.
He furthermore criticized that owing to the ill-conceived policies of the government, the difference between supply and demand of electricity has been widening in the country. He added that the government is running ‘high-cost’ power plants instead of giving priority to the cheapest one, which was another reason behind the increasing prices of electricity.
SCCI chief went on to say that the government was unable to provide new power connections to nearly 3000 people, despite its tall claims of producing electricity in surplus. He added the frequent increase in electricity tariffs would escalate production cost of industries, besides the trading community would be unable to payout high electricity bills amid the prevalent Covid-19 situations.
He called the fresh increase in electricity tariff is reflecting anti-business policy, criticizing that the government had announced to waive off electricity bills of traders affected by Covid-19 lockdown, but the promise was not fully materialized.
Sherbaz Bilour asked the government to take steps for mitigating problems of the business community instead of further multiplying their miseries by enforcement of ‘anti-business’ policies.
He demanded the federal government to immediately withdraw the recent hike in electricity tariff and to ensure uninterrupted power supply to industries across the province.
