KCCI holds Pakistan PM Imran Khan responsible for gas shortages

Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has alleged that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan and the federal government is responsible for the current gas crisis.
KCCI on Monday blamed Prime Minister Imran Khan for the continuing winter gas crisis in Sindh that is inflicting Rs 41 billion manufacturing losses a day on the city's industrial sector, as noted by Business Recorder.

The KCCI also held Hammad Azhar, Federal Minister Ministry for Energy, Petroleum Division responsible for the prevailing gas shortage in Sindh, which it reckons, is also causing Rs20 billion export losses per day to the country from Karachi.

The KCCI also set an ultimatum of 72 hours for its protest in front of the SSGC office in the city, if gas supplies did not restore to industries.

"Prime Minister Imran Khan should take notice of the gas crisis," that brought Karachi's industrial units on the verge of permanent closure, Zubair Motiwala, Chairman, Businessmen Group told a joint news conference at the KCCI.

Earlier, the gas cuts to the city's industrial units now have been for over 100 days during the winter season, he said adding that the key input shortage is causing troubles for the manufacturing sector to meet its international export commitments on time, besides paying off banks loans, according to Business Recorder.

Karachi's industrial need for gas stands 39 per cent and it can be filled through Sindh's production share alone without burdening or exhausting other such resources.

Gas supply pressure is low to reach industries properly, he said adding that the input utility crisis brought the city's manufacturing sector growth to stagnation that holds back 20 million job. He also called the federal government "non-serious" to heed Karachi-based exporters' concerns on gas cuts, as noted by Business Recorder.

(ANI)