The Businessman Forum (BF) has announced nomination of Sardar Muhammad Ashraf for the office of the president of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry for 2005-06 term.
The was announced by BF leader and President of Pakistan-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Senator Bilour Ilyas Ahmad, prior to his departure for New York as member of Pakistan's parliamentary delegation to attend the United Nations session. He expressed the hope that the BF nominee would clinch the FPCCI presidentship with ease and comfort.
He claimed that his group had clear majority on the additional seats of the managing committee, and added that barring Azad Kashmir, the BF enjoyed an edge over its rival group in Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and NWFP, indicating clear success of the BF candidates.
Bilour pointed out that the ensuing FPCCI elections would be an exemplary exercise and the turncoats, and vested interests would face crushing defeat in these elections.
He vowed that this time there would be no horse-trading and the BF would sweep all "A" class association seats. He suggested that like the US elections, rival presidential candidates of the FPCCI might hold a joint debate on the core business issues so that the business community could judge for itself the ability and political acumen of the candidates.
In his absence, Mian Habibullah, Khalid Khan, Rashid Abro, Fazale Qadar Sherani, Gilani Khan and other leaders of the BF would look after the group affairs.