KARACHI: Ismail Suttar Chairman Salt Manufacturers Association of Pakistan (SMAP) urged PMDC not to deviate from its main statutory function of exploration, development, preservation and production of salt mines. Ismail said SMAP being standard bearer of Pink Salt Industry is of considered opinion that over years PMDC has imposed vague and discriminatory pricing policies at mines which has declined salt production exponentially.

He said PMDC cannot clearly comprehend massive destruction caused to salt industry due to global inflation which has left demand of Pink Himalayan Salt fall by half and adding to closure of this industry are operational costs which have reached to unbearable limits with expensive electricity and fuel charges that has led to shutdown of most facilities.

Currently, Pakistan is severely affected by torrential rains and flooding that has affected transportation routes within county. This havoc has already badly affected salt manufacturers and exporters in terms of high inland freight costs and unjustified exorbitant surge in raw material price will prove to be last nail in industry’s coffin. PMDC is undervaluing adverse effects on salt industry with Pakistan’s economic turmoil and has doubled price of pink salt without taking on board SMAP which is only representative body of Salt Manufacturers and Exporters in Pakistan. This ruthless and selfish decision has caused massive scale of unemployment which has left hundreds of thousands of people struggling for survival in areas of Quaidabad and Kalabagh.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 20 2022

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