LAHORE: Pakistan Industrial and Traders Associations Front (PIAF) has welcomed Prime Minister’s decision to increase supply of gas and electricity to the industry and expressed the optimism that it would give boost to economic activities in the country.
In a statement issued, PIAF Chairman Malik Tahir Javaid said that the energy crisis in the past had ruined the industrial sector that was now fast gaining ground only because of business friendly policies of the present government. He said that private sector wanted to play its role for economic revival of the country in larger interests of its people.
He said that the private sector was happy that the present government was strengthening its liaison with the business community instead of depending upon the bureaucracy. He said that the Prime Minister had already won many hearts by announcing to constitute Business and Agriculture Advisory committees.
The PIAF Chairman, however, urged the government to encourage alternate resources of power generation to bridge the shortage of electricity that would again hit the manufacturing sector as soon as the consumption goes up in summer season.
Malik Tahir Javid said that the government should pave the way for generation of cheaper electricity by developing consensus on Kalabagh dam that could ensure cheaper power to the industrial sector.
He said that Kalabagh Dam could add up 15 billion units annually to the national grid besides giving boost to agriculture production but it was very unfortunate that this mega project of national importance could not be materialized.
He said that the Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharidf should convene a meeting of all the provinces where the energy and water experts should be asked to clear misgivings of those who are coming in the way of Kalabagh Dam.
Malik Tahir Javaid said that the neighbouring India was fast building dams to ensure cheaper electricity to its industry and agriculture sectors but the pace of work in Pakistan in yester years was alarmingly slow that caused undue damage to entire economy.
Meanwhile, the PIAF Chairman said that the business community was of strong hope that the economic situation would take a positive turn because of the GSP plus status granted by the European Union.
He said that if the industrial sector gets required gas and electricity, not only the graph of unemployment would come down while the new investment would also come into Pakistan
