RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: Chairman of Pakistan Soap Manufacturers Association (PSMA), Usman Ahmed during a meeting with Sindh Governor Sindh Imran Ismail has said that soap industry is passing through a very critical phase due to high rate of utilities, such as electricity, gas and water; therefore we can not compete with other countries in international market.

He said these hurdles should be resolved immediately otherwise our government will not be able to meet the export target as well as our consumers will not be able to meet the inflated prices.

He further said that industrial sector has already been facing various problems.

Local industries are completely dependent on natural gas, as they cannot have any alternative.

He criticized SSGC for not taking the industries into confidence and making the decision in such abrupt manner that the industries cannot possibly plan for any alternatives.

The government must understand that non-supply of gas would render thousands of industrial workers unemployed, cause losses of millions of rupees in revenue for the national exchequer and will discourage investors contemplating industrial investment in the country.

Usman urged Sindh governor to take serious notice of current circumstances which will cause heavy financial losses and large-scale unemployment, which will consequently affect the law and order situation in the city.