Daily Times

Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Power and Petroleum, Tabish Gauhar has said that the gas crisis is temporary in nature and will be over in the next two to three days.

Talking to a delegation of leading businessmen and industrialists, Gauhar further said that a major shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is expected in the next two to three days .

He said the LNG will be “transmitted and distributed through the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) system within a few days”. He said that he is aware of the challenges being faced by industrialists and businessmen. However, he said repair and maintenance of gas fields are unavoidable and necessary, adding that the government is taking measures to ease the burden of the crisis.

He agreed to the recommendation that there should be a representative of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) in the SSGC to highlight industrial issues.

FPCCI President Nasser Hyatt called for immediate resumption of gas supply to Karachi. Hyatt said the gas suspension has had an adverse impact on industrial units which in turn, will have an adverse impact on Pakistan’s exports. “We are paying up to 40 percent more than international competitors and yet we are not getting enough gas supply,” Zubair Motiwala, chairman of the Businessmen Group, said. He said that the current scenario of gas shortage in Karachi warrants that the government should initiate an investigation.

He called on the government to give due preference to Karachi in light of the amount of tax the city pays and the export earnings that the metropolis contributes for the entire country.

Shariq Vohra, president of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, placed hopes on the prime minister’s aide to ensure the voice of the business community was heard at the highest level and their issues were resolved.

Adeel Siddiqui, vice president of FPCCI said there is an “unimaginable catastrophic havoc” in Karachi and interior Sindh due to the widespread gas shortage. He said economic activities have come to a halt.

Rehan Chawla from the Towel Association said export orders are bound to get delayed due to current disruption in gas supply. He demanded the government provide a relief package to industrialists.

Saleem Zaman, chairman of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry, said the industry is on the verge of collapse and the “negligence on the part of the government makes them suffer again and again”.

Jawaid Bilwani of the Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association said the majority of the exporters are devastated by the current crisis and skeptical about ensuring timely delivery of orders.