RECORDER REPORT

PESHAWAR: The business community has expressed serious concern over the low pressure of natural gas and warned that the traders will block G T Road on eve of Nawaz Sharif’s public meeting scheduled for Feb 4 in Peshawar if SNGPL failed to ensure smooth supply of the gas both in cantonment and city areas.

“We have time and again demanded of SNGPL officials to take notice of the low gas pressure and repeated suspension of gas but to no avail,” this was stated by Muttahida Tajir Grand Alliance Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Haji Muhammad Iqbal while speaking at a press conference at Peshawar Press Club on Friday.

The hoteliers, tandoor walas, bakers, owners of tea stalls, restaurants, he said were facing serious problems due to repeated suspensions and low pressure of the natural gas which had forced the business community to use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for such heavy duties. The consumption of LPG for indefinite period, he said had caused huge financial losses to the business community but the federal government was least bothered to take notice of the miseries of people. He said that advisor to Prime Minister Amir Muqam was claiming to provide gas to far flung areas of the province but he even failed to ensure its supply in the provincial capital which proved difference in his words and deeds.

Iqbal said that thousands of people working in the food outlets were sacked because the problems of low gas pressure had badly affected the business activities and the owners were unable to afford even the routine expenditures. “We have planned to block G T Road on Feb4 and none of the vehicles moving towards venue of the public meeting of Pakistan Muslim League-N Chief Nawaz Sharif; and all the responsibilities will rest with the federal government,” he warned.

Meanwhile, the business community also held a protest demonstration at Sher Shah Soori Road and chanted slogans against SNGPL, and Amir Muqam and asked for restoration of smooth supply of the natural gas to save the traders from bankruptcy. A number of traders including Haji Haleem Said Mohmand, Haji Habibullah spoke on the occasion and said that they were about to shut their workplaces if the gas issue was not resolved.