PESHAWAR: The business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has voiced concern over charging the industrial consumers at the rate of Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) on more consumption of gas than their approved load and demanded of SNGPL to charge them as per old rates for the entire consumption of gas.

Speaking at a press conference at the chamber here on Saturday, Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief Faiz Mohammad said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was producing surplus natural gas and thus the consumers here had the Erst right to fully utilise its indigenous natural resources under Article 158 of the Constitution.

Industrialists Association Peshawar (IAP) president Zarak Ali Khan, Haripur Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Attaur Rehman and other industrialists and traders were present on the occasion.

The SCCI chief said that the gas produced here was being supplied to Punjab, while the KP`s industrial consumers were charged at the rate of RLNG on additional consumption of gas despite suf ficient production of the commodity in the province.

He asked the SNGPL to first fulfill requirement of domestic, commercial and industrial consumers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from the locally-produced natural gas and then supply the surplus commodity to other provinces.

In addition, he said the issue of low gas pressure in Hayatabad Industrial Estate had curtailed the industrial productivity.

Zarak Khattak said that Rs800 was being charged as gas rate from industrial units, and if additional gas was used against the approved load then RLNG rate of Rs1,400 was imposed on them. He said that the constitutional right of first use should be given to the KP people.

Attaur Rehman asked SNGPL to charge old gas rates from the industrial consumers to keep flourishing the industries in the province. He complained that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had started raids on the industrial units, which had caused closure of some industries in the province. He urged the EPA to frame industry-friendly pollcies and avoid teasing the business community.