Daily Times

KARACHI: A number of trade associations of the city held a protest at the Karachi Press Club on Monday against severe water and power outages which they said had reduced the industrial production to approximately 50 percent.

The Karachi Industrial Forum (KIF) representing SITE Association of Industry (SAI), Korangi Association of Trade & Industry (KATI), Federal B Area Association of Trade & Industry, Landhi Association of Trade & Industry (LATI), North Karachi Association of Trade & Industry (NKATI), SITE Super Highway Association of Industry (SSHATI), Bin Qasim Association of Trade & Industry (BQATI) held the protest which was followed by a press conference seeking timely action from the government to end the crisis.

Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, the SITE Association president, led the protest accompanied by Tariq Malik, the KATI president, Muhammad Babar Khan, the FBATI president, Shahid Sabir, the NKATI president; Dr. Kaiser Shaikh, the SSHATI president; Islamuddin Zafar, the LATI president, Salim Dada, the BQATI president, and other industrialists.

The speakers lamented that the industries have been facing a severe crisis of energy since 26 days, whereby industries are compelled to stop operations as power remains suspended for between 8-10 hours every day. Similarly, no water is being supplied by the KWSB, they said, adding that if this is not enough of an inconvenience, hurdles are being created in industrialists’ efforts to arrange water for the sector through a self help basis through sub soil sources. “Supply of water through tankers in industrial areas is restricted. Harassment by bureaucracy of all departments is also rampant,” they complained.

“The industrialists are responsible for approx. 50% of total nation’s exports, 54% of direct taxes in the national exchequer, generation of 95% of Sindh’s revenue from Karachi, employing more than 2.5 million workers are in worst ever crisis of its history. Utilities comes under the basic amenities and according to the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan, the Government is responsible to provide uninterrupted supply of power, gas & water which are the basic demands to run the wheels of Industries. The Federal Government as well as the Provincial Government of Sindh had never accorded priority to the industries of Karachi and were never serious to resolve their problems and ensure provision of uninterrupted basic amenities and quality infrastructure.

“The industrial sector of Karachi is entirely documented and 100% in the tax net and contributes a major share in the tax base. The industries can change the fate of our beloved country from under-developed to developed nation but the sector has been victimised. It appears that the situation being faced by the industries is pre-planned and there are some ulterior motives to wipe out the industries to ultimately destroy the economy of Pakistan.

“The water tariff is highest in Karachi i.e. Rs243/- per thousand gallons whereby in other cities of Pakistan is Rs50/- to Rs55/-. The petroleum products supplied to upcountry on same cost being supplied to Karachi, however, it involves freight cost. Whereas there is no cost on supply of water to the industries of Karachi, nevertheless, water is provided to Karachi industries at exorbitant rates and even than water is not supplied to industries to reasons best known to the Government. To provide water, power and gas as well as infrastructure is the prime responsibility of Government. Since last more than one decade, the democratic electoral process has been continued and the elected representatives have been at the helms of affairs in the Government. Nonetheless, the industries have been deprived to provide the basic amenities and the Federal and Provincial Government of Sindh are only busy in lip service and giving hopes.

The K-Electric is the only company responsible for generation, transmission and distribution of electricity which holds a monopoly. The industries have always demanded to increase utilities generation, transmission and distribution companies to avoid monopolistic approach and create an environment of competition to ensure and provide better and interrupted utilities to the industries at competitive rates. It is also an irony that the utilities tariffs are highest in our country as compared to region and even then uninterrupted supply of water, power and gas are not available.

“The Industrialist fail to understand reasons of above acts and ask the government whether it wants to let them run industries or not? The industries are the only rays of hope to decrease the trade deficit, increase exports, generate more employment and uplift economy.”

Further, the statement appreciated the Prime Minister’s announcement that SSGC will provide 190 mmcfd to K-Electric for power generation but lamented that it had come at a belated stage and with the lapse 26 days. As much as Rs37 billion was lost by the industrial sector of the city in this period, it noted.

The statement further demanded that the government must ensure that electricity was supplied to industries without interruption, adding that Industrial Town Associations must be taken on board in respect to the matter of SSGC and K-Electric.

They also appealed to the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Chief Minister of Sindh to resolve the issue of water as well because the water of supply to industries remained suspended. They demanded a water quota for all industrial zones.

Published in Daily Times, April 24^th 2018.