SCCI rejects suspension of gas supply to KP industries

PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Sherbaz Bilour on Saturday rejected the decision to suspend gas supply to industries and CNG sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from next week.

Talking to a group of industrialists here, he termed the move against the constitutional rights of the province, which was producing surplus gas.

The SCCI chief said Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has issued a notification regarding suspension of gas supply to general industries and CNG sector in name of load management with effect from September 13, 2021 till improvement of the situation.

Sherbaz Bilour asked the government to withdraw the decision or else the business community would stage a protest against it. He said suspending gas supply would hit industrial growth, which had already slowed down due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The disruption of gas supply to industrial areas would affect production besides delaying the export orders.

KP was producing surplus gas against the total consumption despite the fact the industries were not getting proper supply of the commodity, which is a sheer violation of Article 158-A of the Constitution.

He elaborated that the gas consumption of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was around 200 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) against the total production of approximately 400 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) gas.

The SCCI president asked Federal Minister for Energy Hammad Azhar, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Petroleum Tabish Gohar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and other relevant officials to take notice of gas and electricity suspension to industries.