LCCI to raise power tariff issue with PM

LAHORE (APP) - Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) will take up the issue of new electricity tariff with the prime minister.
These views were expressed by LCCI President Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry while addressing a gathering of Anjuman-e-Tajran Pakistan at LCCI on Thursday.
President Anjuman-e-Tajran Pakistan and Convener Anti-Smuggling Committee, Haji Maqsood Butt, LCCI Executive Committee Members Mohammad Ashraf Bhatti, Mohammad Haroon, Co-Convener Standing Committee on Internal Trade & Market Association, Abdul Razzak Babur, also spoke on the occasion.
The LCCI president said as the country was facing multiple challenges and economy was passing through a most critical time the decision regarding rise in power tariff should have been put off.
He said businessmen knew well that a 13.6 percent increase from Jan 1, 2010, was part of an agreement with IMF but the government should convince the IMF that time for the promised increase was not ripe and it should be putt off for some time.
The LCCI president said it was time to give some incentives to businessmen who were doing business in pressing conditions but the government was doing the opposite. President Anjuman-e-Tajran Pakistan, Haji Maqsood Butt, said shortages of electricity and gas had hit businesses hard and the increase in power prices would worsen the situation. Therefore, the government should review its decision in larger interest of the country, he added.
Maqsood Butt also invited the attention of government towards deteriorating law and order situation. He said if the government was interested in widening the tax net, it would have to review its policies on the Federal Board of Revenue as only those businessmen were being squeezed who were already registered with the FBR.