KARACHI: United Business Group and newly formed National Businessmen Group on Thursday formally announced their alliance to contest annual elections-2021 of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI).
United Business Group (UBG), headed by prominent business leader S M Muneer, faced defeat in the previous elections of FPCCI, and newly formed National Businessmen Group (NBG), led by Mian Zahid Hussain, was formed after its leaders differences with the FPCCI’s ruling Businessman Panel leadership mainly on nomination of the candidates for the coming elections. FPCCI annual elections are scheduled on December 30, 2020. Now, this alliance would contest jointly against Businessmen Panel.
During a press conference at Karachi Press Club, both the top leaders S M Muneer and Mian Zahid Hussain along with presidential candidate Khalid Tawab said that the alliance is aimed to make FPCCI, the apex trade body of the country, purely professional forum with strong voice and active participation in the formulation of economic policies by the government.
They said that both the allied groups, with senior business leaders on board, had devised a joint economic charter for pursuance on FPCCI platform after their coming into power for next year.
“We would-be elected body would focus on high industrial growth through setting up new industrial units and expansion of the existing ones, giving boost to exports and proving better services to the trade and industrial communities of the country. Besides, FPCCI would be endeavoring for reducing un-employment by creating new jobs and lowering inflation with increased domestic production mainly of the essential items,” they said.
During the press conference they also formally announced that former vice president FPCCI, S Khalid Tawab would be joint presidential candidate and similarly other senior business leader Rauf Mukhtar for the post of senior vice president. The names of other candidates would be finalized later on.
Other prominent leaders representing UBG were former president FPCCI Zubair F Tufail, former vice presidents Hanif Gohar, Dr Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, former vice president Tariq Haleem. From NBG were former vice president FPCCI Sqib Nisar Magoon, Allauddin Mari and Shahid Ahmed Laghari.
UBG’s Patron-in-Chief, S M Muneer appreciated Mian Zahid and Allauddin Mari’s positive gesture by joining hands with his group in the greater interest of the business community, and for strengthening of economy and development of the country.
He pledged that UBG would come up to the expectation of the business community and the general public by reshaping their teams and conceiving working better plans, and by effective pursuance of their goals.
On this occasion, the FPCCI leadership appreciated Prime Minister Imran Khan’s efforts to cope with the economic and social effects of Covid-19 pandemic on the country by bringing the best possible schemes and packages.
They also acknowledged the financing schemes introduced by State Bank of Pakistan to help out the industries and businesses facing serious financial problems, which helped them retain their employees otherwise to be fired out.
On behalf of FPCCI, which is biggest trade forum of the country, they assured full cooperation and support to the government which was struggling for economic growth and increasing exports.
The nominated presidential candidate S Khalid Tawab also praised the government’s economic policies and decisions for the revival and strengthening of the economy, which had resulted in improved economic indicators including drastic reduction in trade deficit, increasing foreign exchange and remittances.
However, he was of the view that more steps were needed to ensure availability of utilities and for reducing the tariffs to make the private sector cost competitive in the regional and international markets.
He maintained that the street crimes in the city had increased after Covid-19 due to resultant un-employment. Tawab proposed that like in case of the construction and housing industry, the government should come up with support packages for other major industries for a sustainable growth.
He said that issues of business community will be taken up on the platform of FPCCI on high priority to provide a level playing field to all industries.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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