KARACHI: Site Association of Industry (SAI) president Abdul Rasheed has expressed concern over stoppage of gas supply to the Site industries and appealed Prime Minister Imran Khan and Energy Minister Hammad Azhar to provide gas to save the industries from disaster and workers from going jobless, a statement said.

Expressing apprehensions over the current situation, the SAI president said that if the gas supply is not restored, there will remain no option but to close down industries and the PM’s dream to stabilise the economy and promote industrialisation will not come true.

“[The] Covid-19 pandemic had already hit the industries and industrial production to a great extent due to which, industries have suffered huge losses.”

“The industries are struggling for their survival and export orders due to the steps being taken by the government, which are not industry-friendly,” he added.

The Site president also said: “It is [a] reality that when industry runs, it provides jobs and promotes exports. In the absence of gas, which is [the] basic fuel for [the] industry, Pakistani exporters will not be in a position to compete in the international markets. As such, the government should consider the issue seriously and avoid any such step, which is not industry-friendly.”

Rasheed appealed Prime Minister Imran Khan and Energy Minister Hammad Azhar to direct the Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to provide gas to the Site industries without interruption with required pressures so as to continue industrial production unabated with the ultimate objective to bring stability in the national economy.