Peshawar  -   All Pakistan Marble Industries Association (AMIA) Wednesday called for massive reforms in the energy sector, including the privatization of all distribution companies (DISCOs) and the abolition of the single buyer system across the country to promote the wheeling system.

These proposals were put forward by Chairman AMIA, Asghar Khan while addressing a press conference along with office bearers from various marble industrial estates here. He said that Pakistan had 2300 large marble industrial units and over 400 marble showrooms, providing direct and indirect employment to over 0.2 million people, which played a crucial role in the economic development of the country.

He said that consecutive increases in the power tariff had rendered 40% to 50% of marble units closed, and if the issue was not addressed, then the remaining units would stop operation. He demanded the abolition of taxes from the electricity bills to provide maximum relief to marble and granite industries to save the workers from going unemployed.