KARACHI: Several industrialists are planning to shift their business abroad from Karachi due to the unnecessary gas load-shedding, an official said in a statement on Saturday.
Korangi Association of Trade and Industry president Salman Aslam asked the government to lift tax on the re-gasified liquefied natural gas (RLNG) to help industrialists purchase the commodity as a substitute.
Due to the additional freight charges, RLNG is being sold on high prices, while the government is charging additional taxes, making it difficult for the industrialists to purchase imported gas.
Aslam raised concerns on the unannounced gas outages by the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to the local industry across Sindh, especially to non-export-oriented industry.
He said: “SSGC suddenly stops gas supply, and that too, without taking the industrialists into confidence, resulting in huge losses.”
The gas shortage in Karachi is not acceptable, the Kati president said, adding that the government should take measures for gas load management.
Equal load management in the country will help minimise the losses of all the sectors. The gas load management in Karachi is not only impacting the economy negatively but also increasing the unemployment due to the closure of factories.
The government needs to provide gas to Sindh industrialists on the same price, as was provided to Punjab by the Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited.
However, after the intervention of Sindh Governor Imran Ismail, SSGC agreed to provide uninterrupted gas to the industries, he added.