The general public, traders and industrialists have formed a united front against the worst-ever load shedding in the country. People from all sections of the society have been agitated by the energy crisis, which has touched it peak despite the summer just setting in. The power shortfall has already touched 6,000MW and a number of protests have been witnessed in Lahore, as well as other parts of the country.
Traders and industrialist have warned that if the government does not address the energy crisis, the business community would be compelled to go on strike.
Traders in Hafeez Centre staged a protest against the prolonged load shedding on Monday. Hafeez Centre Traders Welfare League Chairman Malik Kaleem warned that traders would completely shut down markets and come out on roads that if power outages were not halted. Industrialists and workers of almost all industrial estates, including Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estated, Kot Lakhpat, Gulberg Industrial Area, Band Road Industrial Area, have complained that Lahore Electric Supply Company (LESCO) is violating the load-management agreement with different industrial associations.
Industrialists have underlined that owing to unplanned and unscheduled load-shedding industry is suffering huge losses, which will ultimately affect the economic growth and cause massive unemployment. Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company (PIEDMC) spokesman pointed out that some 150 industrial units in the Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate (QIE) were on the verge of closure due to mismanagement in the energy sector. He said their load-management agreement with the power company was being violated, but neither the Pakistan Electric Power Company (PEPCO) nor the government was taking any action.
Lahore Township Industries Association (LTIA) also constituted two separate committees to devise a comprehensive strategy to deal with the load shedding. In a meeting on Monday, it was decided that one committee would negotiate with the federal minister for Water and Power and PEPCO, while the other would liaise with other industrial associations of Punjab and formulate a protest plan. The meeting was attended by a large number of industrialists, LITA Chairman Haroon Shafiq Chaudhry and former Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mian Anjum Nisar.
Nisar said it was unfortunate that both the federal and provincial governments had failed to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity to the industry. He demanded the prime minister to take corrective measures, as businesses were being severely affected by long hours of load shedding. Talking to Pakistan Today, Pakistan Knitwear and Sweaters Exporters Association (PKSEA) Chairman Shahzad Ahmad Khan said there was no doubt that the government had financial constraints and the country was facing an energy shortfall, but bold steps needed to be taken. He said it was beyond understanding why the government was not importing cheap energy from Iran and India.
