ICCI Strongly Opposes Any Further Hike In Gas Tariff

The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry has strongly opposed any further hike in the gas tariff and warned the government to desist from taking any such decision as it would bring disastrous consequences for the business

ISLAMABAD (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th May, 2019) The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry has strongly opposed any further hike in the gas tariff and warned the government to desist from taking any such decision as it would bring disastrous consequences for the business sector and unleash a new wave of high inflation for the general public that would be unbearable for them.Ahmed Hassan Moughal President, RafatFarid Senior Vice President and Iftikhar Anwar Sethi Vice President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that OGRA has allowed 47 percent or Rs.237 per unit (million British thermal unit) increase in the prescribed price of Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) taking it from Rs.

501to Rs.738.

Similarly, OGRA 28 percent or Rs.60 per unit increase has been allowed in the prescribed price of Sui Southern Gas Company Limited (SSGCL) taking it from Rs.578 to Rs738. They said that combined impact in the increase of prescribed price of both companies would put additional burden of around Rs.60 billion on their consumers, which was totally unjustified.

He said that instead of improving the performance of gas companies and introducing reforms in them to reduce their losses, government was passing on the burden of their inefficiency to the people that was not justified.