Poor masses to brave another gas bomb: PEW
Gas price hike to hit production, trigger inflation
The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Sunday said the state-run gas companies have planned to drop another gas bomb on the masses to increase their profits.
The gas utilities are seeking up to Rs194 hike in per unit tariff of gas to earn additional Rs93 billion by burdening the masses facing unprecedented inflation, it said.
The move will stoke inflation and hit production in the industrial and agricultural sectors while it will also damage exports, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President PEW.
The upward revision in the gas tariff will make it impossible for the central bank to reduce interest rates as expected by the business community, he added.
Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that the gas prices have already been increased up to 190 percent as per the agreement with the IMF and another massive increase will take a toll on the masses and the struggling economy.
He said that gas companies are only concerned with their profits disregarding the fact the increasing price of gas will reduce demand, increase theft, generate unemployment and spell disaster for the industrial sector.
The move will increase the profit of gas utilities but result in increased cost of doing business, closure of many businesses and widespread unemployment in the country, he added.
OGRA conduct a public hearing before notifying the increase in which stakeholders are heard but it has always proved to be a wastage of time, he said.
Dr. Mughal demanded that the government should decide that the interest of masses and economy activity is important for the country or the profit of gas companies.
