ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Sheikh Amir Waheed has called upon the government to withdraw the hike in commercial gas prices as it would increase inflation, and bring more problems to the common man.
He said the Prime Minister should take notice of this situation and order for the withdrawal of increase in commercial gas prices in the larger interests of the general public. He said this while talking to a delegation of Islamabad Naanbai and Small Restaurants Association that visited ICCI led by its President Sarfraz Abbasi here on Tuesday.
He said that bringing the price of commercial gas at par with LNG price was against the interests of citizens as it would add to their difficulties. He said that naan houses have been using commercial gas for the last 30 years and all of a sudden charging them at the price of LNG was totally unjustified.
He warned that this decision would affect the vote bank of the ruling party in the coming elections. He said charging new price for new commercial gas connections could be acceptable, but it was unacceptable to charge new price on old commercial gas connections and stressed upon the SNGPL to revise its decision.
Islamabad Naanbai and Small Restaurant Association’s President Sarfraz Abbasi said that most of the customers of naan houses belonged to the common man and if the decision of charging LNG prices from naan houses was not taken back, it would deprive the common man of naan and roti as it would double the price of these staple food items.
He cautioned that the decision would invoke a strong reaction from the general public and urged upon the government to withdraw it immediately.
