RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: President North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI) Naseem Akhtar has urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to stop Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) from “harassing” industrialists and withdraw notices issued to registered manufacturers and exporters of five zero-rated sectors (textile, carpet, sports and surgical equipment), so that the production activities of lockdown affected export-oriented industries can be restored.

He said that SSGC has found a new way to “harass” industrialists despite the severe economic crisis caused by the Coronavirus epidemic by issuing notices to export-oriented industries asking them to obtain certificate from Commissioner-Inland Revenue and provide before July 20, 2020 for the validation of zero-rating status to avail reduced gas tariff.

“In notices to the registered manufacturers and exporters of 5 zero rated sectors [textile, carpet, sports and surgical equipment], SSGC threatened that if the certificate was not submitted within the stipulated time, otherwise SSGC will revise gas tariff and apply normal tariff i.e., Rs 1,021/- per MMBTU,” he claimed.

He said that due to coronavirus epidemic, industries have already been shut down, exporters and industrialists are facing a severe financial crisis. Instead of helping in this difficult time, it has started “harassing” the industrialists, he added.

Patron-in-chief NKATI, Capt A Moiz Khan, said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was taking steps to provide facilities to exporters, especially to the 5 zero-rated sectors in the troubled economy, for which the industrial community is grateful.

“They said that while zero-rated industries already notified in SSGC then why industrialists need certificate from the FBR.