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Islamabad, April 03, 2015 (PPI-OT): A delegation of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by its President Muzzamil Hussain Sabri called on Malik Yousaf Awan, Chief Executive, Islamabad Electric Supply Company and apprised him of the problems being faced by the local industry due to 4 hours continuous electricity loadshedding by IESCO during peak manufacturing hours.
Addressing the delegation, Malik Yousaf Awan, Chief Executive IESCO said he was fully cognizant of the difficulties of industrialists due to energy shortfall and assured that IESCO would explore all possible options to reduce loadshedding for the industry. He said due to energy deficit, IESCO had scheduled total 4 hours daily loadshedding for industry, however, the duration of power shutdown for industry would be slashed to 2 hours at a time so that industry could get some relief in continuing its production activities.
He said IESCO intended to provide maximum facilitation in power supply to industry, but, due to rise in power shortfall, it was compelled to resort to load management. However, he assured that IESCO would try to finalize load management schedules in consultation with business community to provide maximum relief to the industry.
Speaking at the occasion, Muzzamil Hussain Sabri, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said electricity loadshedding of long durations have rendered large number of workers idle and badly affected the production activities. He was afraid that if power shutdowns for industry were not controlled to minimum possible level, industry would be unable to meet production orders while many workers could lose jobs.
He said IESCO should finalize load management programs in consultation with business community so that consensus solution of energy shortage could be explored and industry could be saved from further losses.
Khalid Javed former President ICCI said electricity was key input of steel industry and furnaces normally took one hour in warming up due to which steel industry could not afford 4 hours loadshedding at a stretch. He said IESCO should either schedule loadshedding for industry at night time or minimize its duration for industry to facilitate industrial activities.
Tariq Sadiq, former President ICCI said industrialists were ready to cooperate with the government to cope with energy crisis, however, it was not possible to run industry with 4 hours continuous loadshedding. He said IESCO should schedule 2 hours loadshedding at a time for industry to enable it to continue with production activities.
Muhammad Shakeel Munir Senior Vice President, Muhammad Ashfaq Hussain Chatha Vice President ICCI, many local industrialists including Khalid Javed, Tariq Sadiq, Mian Shaukat Masud, Javed Iqbal, Sheikh Abid Waheed, Iftikhar Anwar Sethi and others were in the delegation.
For more information, contact:
Khalid Chaudhry
Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI)
Chamber House, Aiwan-e-Sanat-o-Tijarat Road,
Mauve Area, G-8/1,
Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +9251 225 0526, 2253145, 8432676
Fax: +9251 225 2950
Email: icci@brain.net.pk
Website: www.icci.com.pk