Karachi, June 24, 2020: Capt. A Moiz Khan, patron-in-chief, North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) and President Naseem Akhtar have appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to reduce 20 percent gas tariff given the significant reduction in energy prices in global markets and economic crisis due to COID-19, so that to reduce the cost of production of industries and enable exporters to compete in global markets.
In an appeal to the Prime Minister, NKATI leaders requested to make energy cheaper like the neighboring countries in order to save the country’s best economic interests and industries from catastrophe so that the country can move forward on the path of development.
Opposing the request of gas companies to impose an additional burden of Rs 104 billion on consumers, they said that industrialists could not afford expensive energy in the current situation, so the government should take timely and correct decision keeping in view the ground realities. They demanded an immediate reduction in gas tariff as global oil prices have come down drastically but the people of Pakistan have not yet reaped the benefits.
“Despite the reduction in global energy prices, there was no justification for Sui Southern Gas to ask for an increase in tariffs. To compete in the price war in the international markets, which is possible only through measures to reduce the cost of production, because why foreign buyers will buy Pakistani products more expensive than the cheap products of other countries, including China, India”, they added. Capt. A. Moiz Khan and Naseem Akhtar appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to reject any proposal by the gas companies to increase tariffs and announce a reduction of up to 20 percent in gas tariffs to boost industrial activities and restore the exports.
