Rulers playing with sentiments of masses: LCCI progressive group

Present rulers are playing with the sentiments of the masses by announcing on one hand decrease in electricity prices claiming passing on the benefit of decrease in petroleum prices to the consumers but with the other hand taking the same incentive back in the garb of extra duties and additional levies.

This was expressed by the Progressive Group in the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Khalid Usman, Vice Presidents Abdul Wadood Alvi, Ch. Arshad and Secretary Information Muhammad Ejaz Tanveer expressing concern on a decisions of Economic Coordination Committee to increase the price of the electricity by Rs 2 per unit urged the government not to burden the already burdened and hard-presses masses and the business community by increasing the utility pries.

In a statement here on Wednesday, they stated that decisions of increase of Rs.2 per unit in the electricity prices, collection of technical line losses from the consumers and reactivation of controver- sial rental power plants would create more hurdles in the running of industrial sector. He said that massive increase in the industrial input cost would make the Pakistani products uncompetitive in the international market.

They said that oil prices have dropped to almost half of what they were at two months ago while water was also available in water reservoirs for hydle power pro- jection then why this additional cost. They said that prices of furnace oil were at a stage where we could run all our thermal power generations without any extra burden to meet the energy requirements then why such steps which were rendering the industry in competitive and people surprised. They said that the business community totally rejects this move of the government.