The business community of NWFP is giving lukewarm response to the call of collecting donations by the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FPCCI) for the relief of the earthquake victims in NWFP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources in the business community feared that the appointment of less known businessmen and the lack of proper management of the funds collected in the head would turn the national effort a waste.
The fact of the lack of confidence in the donation collecting machinery of the apex trade body would be judged from the fact that when co-ordinator FPCCI for the Relief and Rehabilitation contacted a known businessmen for contribution in the relief. He expressed astonishment and hesitance in making contribution in the fund.
Similarly, all other important businessmen and traders are hesitant from making contribution in the relief fund for the rehabilitation of the October 8 deadly earthquake that has caused more than 50,000 deaths and financial loss of more than US$ 5 billion.
A renowned industrialist and businessmen of the provincial metropolis, told Business Recorder on condition of anonymity that they have not been taken into confidence over appointment of Jehan Zeb Khan as co-ordinator for relief and rehabilitation FPCCI and the result is the lack of interest by the business community in the relief and rehabilitation fund.
The apex trade body of the country has so far contributed a cheque of Rs 20 million in the President's Relief Fund for Earthquake Victims, which is a peanut and not in proportion to the resources of the wealthy business community. "Even the street beggars had contributed donations in the relief fund, but FPCCI, apex body of the business community had contributed a meagre amount of Rs 20 million," commented a member of the executive committee of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI).
He said that this least show of gesture had bowed the heads down of the business community as all this has happened when the people from the same community were contributing handsome donations in the Presidential Fund anonymously and in their individual capacities providing relief goods at the doorsteps of the earthquake affected people.
Another member of the SCCI said that the appointment of co-ordinator from a Hazara Chamber has deprived Sarhad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) to play its role at this critical state of the history by appointing a controversial figure. He said that FPCCI should have formed a Relief Committee under the leadership of an undisputed leader and the committee should have been formed with representation of all chambers of the province.
"In present situation non of the known businessmen would come forward to contribute in the relief fund established by the FPCCI," he concluded.
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