ISLAMABAD: The ruling group Businessmen Panel (BMP) of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has witnessed several resignations from within its ranks just before kick starting the election campaign for the forthcoming FPCCI elections.
Insiders in ruling group told Business Recorder that many senior members of the Businessmen Panel including group Senior Vice Chairman Mian Zahid Hussain, Central Leader and former caretaker CM Baluchistan Alauddin Marri, Senior Vice Chairman Punjab Ch Muhammad Hussain Zahid, Central Vice Chairman Saqib Fayyaz Magoon, and Secretary General (Federal) Ch Ahmad Jawad have resigned from the Businessmen Panel.
There is speculation that a large supporter/voter base of the BMP belonging to different trade bodies has withdrawn support from the BMP group in protest for what they allege is the dictatorial behaviour of the Group Chairman and President FPCCI Mian Anjum Nisar.
The key members who have resigned are those who were credited with putting new energy in the Businessmen Panel in the year 2015 when BMP stood on the verge of dissolution.
The resignations, copies of some of which are available with Business Recorder reveal that those members of the group who played a key role in the victory of the Businessmen Panel were annoyed with those sitting in top offices.
"Alauddin Marri and Ch Hussain Zahid got 139 votes in 2019 elections on the seat of President and SVP FPCCI which was a shock for the then ruling group in a 40 day campaign and they lost the elections with only 15 votes," said an insider.
Sources said FPCCI 2021 elections would be a tough call now for Businessmen Panel after these resignations and the poor performance of incumbent top boss. Baluchistan was completely ignored during his ten month tenure and he did not visit the province even once after assuming the post of president and also failed to convince the Punjab based chambers of commerce to join BMP.
Capital office of the FPCCI was a silent spectator in the last ten months as a person without expertise was appointed at FPCCI capital office as Coordinator to deal with government departments - an irresponsible move that put the first dent on the popularity of the incumbent President FPCCI.
Meanwhile, Convener FPCCI Central Standing Committee on Insurance Dr Murtaza Mughal, Convener FPCCI Standing Committee on Media and Broadcasting, Usama Khan Warid and Convenor FPCCI Standing Committee on Textiles and Dying Printing Mills Tahir Mahboob resigned from their posts in solidarity with the leaders of Businessmen Panel (BMP) of FPCCI who resigned in protest.
"BMP should take the issues of the business community seriously and act according to its mandate while trying to fulfil election promises," they demanded in their resignations.
FPCCI Executive Committee has already approved the schedule for the FPCCI Elections 2021 which will be held on December 30, 2020 and it is likely that three groups will contest the elections and around 195 trade bodies will participate in the coming democratic process.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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