RECORDER REPORT

KARACHI: President of North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (NKATI), Naseem Akhtar, has appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to reduce gas tariff by 20% given the significant reduction in energy prices in global markets and economic crisis due to COVID-19 so as to reduce the cost of production of industries and enable exporters to compete in global markets.

He urged the prime minister to make energy cheaper like the neighboring countries in order to save the country’s best economic interests and industries from catastrophe so that the country can move forward on the path of development.

Opposing the request of gas companies to impose an additional burden of Rs104 billion on consumers, he said that industrialists could not afford expensive energy in the current situation, and the government should take timely and correct decision keeping in view the ground realities.

Patron-in-Chief of NKATI, Capt. A Moiz Khan, demanded an immediate reduction in gas tariff as global oil prices had come down drastically but the people of Pakistan had not yet reaped the benefits.

“Due to the reduction in global energy prices, there is no justification in the Sui Southern Gas Company’s asking for an increase in tariffs. Competing in the price war in the international markets is possible only through measures to reduce the cost of production because why would foreign buyers buy Pakistani products if they are more expensive than the products of other countries, including China and India,” he asked.

Capt. A. Moiz Khan appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to reject any proposal by the gas companies to increase tariffs and announce a reduction of up to 20% in gas tariffs to boost industrial activities and restore country’s exports.