PESHAWAR
All Pakistan Marble Industries Association (AMIA) has called for massive reforms in the energy sector including the privatization of all distribution companies (DISCOs) and abolition of the single buyer system across the country to promote the wheeling system. These proposals were flouted by the chairman AMIA, Asghar Khan while addressing a press conference along with office bearers from various marble industrial estates here on Wednesday.
He said that Pakistan has 2300 large marble industrial units and over 400 marble show-rooms and giving direct and indirect employment to over 0.2 million people, which speaks of its crucial role in the economic development of the country. He said that consecutive increase in the power tariff has rendered 40% to 50% marble units closed and if the issue was not addressed then the remaining units will stop operation.
He demanded abolition of taxes from the electricity bills to provide maximum relief to marble and granite industries to save the workers from going unemployed.
The association further demanded review of the agreements with independent power producers (IPPs) and abolition ofall those agreements, which are not made in haste and instead of imported resources give priority to local resources of energy.
He has also called for focusing on the prevention of power pilferages and performance of the distribution companies. He said that the companies should ensure their timely recoveries and avoid the burden of their incompetence on the honest consumers.
