Federal, provincial govts urged to take swift action, revisit gas tariff, Business leaders vows ‘no stone will remain unturned to provide relief, incentives and facilities to business community’
Our Correspondent
PESHAWAR
Petrol pumps and CNG filling stations owners and dealers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expressed deep concern over increase in number of ‘dabba’ filling stations in the province, high gas tariff and harassment by authorities by various means and sale of smuggled oil and asked the provincial government and relevant authorities to take stern action.
The issue was raised during a meeting of Sarhad Petroleum Cartage and Dealers Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, chaired by the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Fazal Moqeem Khan here at the chamber house on Monday.
Meeting attended by the SCCI Senior Vice President Abdul Jalil Jan, Vice President Shehryar Israr Khan, former president FPCCI and Businessman Forum Leader Ghazanfar Bilour, SPCDA KP Patron in Chief and former president of the chamber Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervez, Chairman of the association Gul Nawaz Afridi, former chairman Abdul Majid Khan, members of the chamber’s executive committee Gul Zaman, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, Safiullah Khan, and Rashid Iqbal Siddiqui, the SPCDA senior members, petrol pumps owners and dealers in a large number.
Newly President-elect Junaid Altaf, senior vice president-elect Muhammad Nadeem, and vice president-elect also participated in the meeting.
Meeting thoroughly discussed matters pertaining to increasing number of ‘dabba’ stations, harassment by local administration through various means during checking of the petrol measurement and enforcement of anti-business policies, delay in issuance of “Form K”, despite granting No-objection certificate (NoC) to petrol pumps and GIDC, others issues associated with petroleum and CNG sector.
Speakers on the occasion raised concerns over charging high tariffs, stating the KP is producing surplus natural gas despite that fact Rs3750MMBTU is being charged from commercial consumers, which is completely unjust and unacceptable.
The participants categorically said ‘dabba’ filling stations and anti-business policies are unacceptable and called federal and provincial governments, and relevant authorities to revisit the current gas tariff, checking on smuggled oil and effective initiative for ease of doing business.
SCCI president Fazal Moqeem addressed the meeting, informed that the number of dabba filling stations has crossed to over 2000 in the city, which is highly alarming as low quality oil is being supplied on these daba stations, which is not only causing damages vehicles but also making the environment populated.
Businessman Forum leader Ghazanfar Bilour while sharing his views on the occasion assured that SCCI will take up issues of traders and dealers attached with the petroleum and CNG sector at federal and provincial level and would make vigorous efforts to resolve all issues amicably.
New president elect Junaid Altaf also spoke on the occasion, reaffirmed his commitment to make all out efforts to address the business community problems.
He asked traders attached with the petroleum and CNG sector to send the problems in writing to the chamber and take up them with relevant authorities to swiftly address them.
Junaid Altaf vowed no stone will remain unturned to provide relief, incentives and facilities to the business community.
