Punjab chambers take to streets against outages

LAHORE - All Chambers of Commerce and Industry in Punjab and Trade, Industrial Associations of Lahore have warned the government that they would be forced to handover the keys of their premises if the electricity and gas loadshedding is not immediately stopped.
Entrepreneurs from all major industrial sectors and representatives of all major markets of the city at a meeting held at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry resolved that the selective load shedding Punjab would no more be tolerated.
The meeting was attended by Presidents of Sargodha, Sialkot and Gujranwala Chambers of Commerce and Industry, former President Sheikhupura Chamber of Commerce Manzoor Malik, the representatives All Pakistan Textile Mills Association, Lahore Township Industrial Association, Ferozepur Road Industrial Association, Pharmaceutical Association, Steel Furnace Owners, Steel Melters Association, representatives of auto vendors, plastic manufacturers, packaging industries, Pakistan Hardware Merchants Association and all major Lahore Markets.
The meeting asked for removal of all the PEPCO and LESCO officials responsible for the electricity crisis.
The meeting also questioned the wisdom of the government in granting nine extensions to the MD Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Company and demanded his immediate removal.
They were unanimous that the gas supplies during the tenure of the present MD SNGPL have been erratic and inconsistent.
President Lahore chamber of Commerce and industry Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry demanded that PEPCO and LESCO should be privatized immediately. And the new boards should be constituted in consultation with the private sector so that they could take decision in collaboration with real stakeholders. He said the government should announce immediate construction of Kala Bagh Dam and assured that the entire amount needed for its construction would be provided by the people of Pakistan. He said that consensus on this issue should be obtained from all federating units on the same manner as done in case of NFC and 18th amendment.

Source: http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Business/16-Apr-2010/Punjab-chambers-take-to-streets-against-outages