Sufficient and cheap electricity is imperative to gain 8 percent GDP growth and give a quantum jump to economic activities but the government has to build dams on top priority basis to achieve this objective, said Engr Rizwan Ashraf, President, Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI). He was addressing the participants of 49th Senior Management Course of Wapda Administrative Staff College, Islamabad, on Friday.
The FPCCI chief underlined the importance of Faisalabad and the chamber and said that the city was developed as Mandi Town in 1890 after the name of the then Punjab Governor Sir James Lyall. Later in 1973 it was renamed Faisalabad after the name of King Faisal of Saudi Arabia.
He said that Faisalabad was now bursting with 8 million population and is recognised world wide as textile capital of Pakistan because of its dynamic textile industry that was contributing six billion US Dollars per annum. He further said that Faisalabad had a unique privilege to have Asia's biggest yarn market, largest chemical plant of Pakistan, and largest rice processing unit in addition to largest infrastructure of textile industry.
Engr Ashraf said that FCCI was most dynamic and third largest chamber of the country. He said that FCCI was the only chamber that has established a dedicated GSP Cell to educate and facilitate its members to capitalise on the facility of GSP Plus. He told that FCCI also prepared and present Shadow Budget every year. "We are holding all Pakistan Presidents of Chambers of Commerce & Industry Conference on May 29 to finalise joint budget proposals," he said.
Engr Ashraf explained the CSR related activities initiated by FCCI and said that it had played a proactive role to help out the affectees of national calamities. He said FCCI was also motivating the government to upgrade Faisalabad Airport on modern scientific lines while Qatar Air Ways was starting direct international flights from Faisalabad from 17th July.
He also responded to questions and queries of the delegates. He warned that after electricity, water crisis was also emerging and Pakistan might become water scarce country within next five years if dams were not constructed to store available water resources. Later, Nadeem Allahwala, Senior Vice-President, FPCCI, presented a shield to Yusuf Aziz, Director General, Wapda Administrative Staff College, while Inaam Afzal Khan, FPCCI Vice-President, offered vote of thanks to the participants.
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