Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), the apex trade body is once again on the rocks. It's Secretary General Masood Alam Rizvi, who had joined the trade body on his retirement as Secretary, Ministry of Textile Industry, last year has resigned.
In his letter sent to the FPCCI members, he explained that ever since his resignation on September 11 he has received phone calls from many people including some present and former office bearers expressing their shock and surprise and wanted to know the reason for his sudden departure.
"I refrained from giving any detailed explanation except to state that the conditions were becoming very difficult for me to perform and carry out my duties/responsibilities according to dictates of my conscience and in a manner that I was mandated under the law," he said.
He said that he could sense that their common perception was that he has been forced to resign and for that each one had his own explanation. "Their common complaint against me however was that why I did not inform them before hand, as then, they would have seen to it that I would continue to serve as the Secretary General. I told them that I did not share my decision with them for the reason that the people who were responsible for my decision would have thought that I am bringing influence on them and want to remain clinging to the post of Secretary General. Their common view was also that FPCCI needed my services given the experience and stature that I enjoyed in the Government and the way I was striving to enhance the image of FPCCI."
He went on to say that since there is a lot of speculation in different circles about his resignation, "I would like to state the following few facts so that these speculations are set at rest:"
1. Two Vice Presidents, Haroon Rashid and Shakil Dhingra started to take decisions which lay in the domain of the President. They were advised by me that for any change in matters of policy or settled issues it is the President who is competent to take the decision. They should therefore consult the President and bring him on board and let the President decide. I had also discussed this with the President and requested him to advise the two vice presidents which he did. This probably the two vice presidents could not digest.
2. As a retaliation, they surreptitiously tried to find any financial mis-dealings on my part to make ground for my removal from the post of Secretary General. Unfortunately for them they could not find anything except payments of cellphone bills of my two visits abroad, little realising that in one case the payment was approved by the former President Senator Haji Ghulam Ali and the other one by the incumbent President Haji Fazal Kadir Khan Sherani after taking into consideration the reasons stated in the summaries submitted to them. After seeing the relevant documents, they dropped the idea.
3. Reportedly they continued to pursue their desire for my removal to the extent that on a matter in which the President took a decision for which he was fully competent, they accused the Secretary General for defying the decision of these two VPs by reversing it through the President on telephone while the President was in Mumbai. (The fact of the matter is that the orders of the President were obtained by the Secretary General prior to the decision of the two VPs. This can be verified from the relevant file). They, on the file, went further to say that disciplinary action should be taken against the Secretary General and that his conduct/performance should be taken up as an agenda item for discussion in the upcoming EC meeting on September 17 on the ground that he (Secretary General) was indulging in politics and that his contract of employment be cancelled and he be relieved of his duties.
4. My clear advice to the President on this was that it would not be good for the organisation to discuss the conduct/performance of the Secretary General as an agenda item in the EC meeting on a trivial matter for the simple reason that it will reflect adversely on the Organisation and might lead to the opening of a Pandora's box against the two VPs and possibly engulfing their party leader whose conduct in the affairs of FPCCI is also not liked by many party members.
In fighting and groupings in FPCCI has reduced its hold over its affiliates ie, chambers and associations, to such as extent that they now deal with the government directly instead of going through the apex trade body. Politics dominate the affairs of FPCCI and established and leading businessmen keep themselves away and are rarely seen taking interest in its affairs or are part of it.
On the other hand Pakistan Businessmen's Council which has all the multi-national companies as its members has played a more effective role in voicing the concerns of business community and its voice is heard in the corridors of power.
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