NWFP industry in dire straits

PESHAWAR: Gas shortage has added to the woes of local industry already suffering from frequent power outages.

Industrialists Association’s President Malik Niaz told Daily Times on Sunday that suspension of gas supply by Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Company Limited (SNGPL) had led to closure of around 260 industrial units in Peshawar’s Hayatabad Industrial Estate and thus, rendering 40,000 employees jobless.

He said gas shortage had caused huge losses to industrialists in the NWFP in general and in Peshawar in particular. He said the SNGPL recently removed gas regulators from 260 industries after which their power generating units became useless.

Niaz said the SNGPL had promised to supply gas interruptedly to the industry five days a week but gas supply had been suspended for the last one month.

He said the gas load shedding triggered losses of local industrialists ran into millions of rupees. He said economic growth in the province had nose-dived due to gas and electricity shortage. He feared current circumstances would increase joblessness, the major cause behind rise in terrorism and extremism.

“Instead of creating problems for the industry, the government should prioritise industrial growth for creation of better job opportunities,” he said.

When contacted, Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SCCI) President Riaz Arshad said gas supply to the industries had been slashed by 70 per cent over a period of time and thus, adversely affecting their production capacity. He said suspension of gas supply to the industry in the militancy-affected province was a bid of the vested interests wanting to fail the provincial government.

He said the NWFP chief minister should take notice of suspension of gas to industrial units and ensure smooth gas supply to them. The SCCI president claimed gas load shedding was the NWFP specific at a time when delicate law and order situation had paralysed local economy.

He said the centre should ensure smooth gas supply to the NWFP like other provinces. He said the NWFP was independent in gas and electricity production but even then, both the utilities were being denied to the locals.

Arshad warned that if the provincial government didn’t take corrective measures without delay, the SCCI would move Peshawar High Court against frequent gas and electricity outages. He said gas shortage had a negative bearing on industrial production in the province, delaying delivery of orders by industrial units.