The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) spokesman has said that FPCCI campaign was not against the government but harsh provisions of the new Trade Organisations Ordinance (TOO) and rules.
A statement issued here by FPCCI said that the spokesman took strong exception to the remarks of Javed Balwani that a group was exploiting the FPCCI to campaign against the government. He said that FPCCI enjoys cordial relations with the government and was fully supporting its economic policies and by issuing a statement, Balwani, who lost recent election, made an abortive attempt to get the government officials attention.
He said FPCCI leadership believes that President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz were pursuing policies of liberalisation, privatisation and deregulation and they would not take any decision negating freedom of associations from the business community. He said the constitution of Pakistan gives the right of freedom to the traders' associations and it cannot be denied through bureaucratic tactics.
The spokesman said that Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry, which had originally supported the new Trade Organisation Ordinance (TOO) 2005, and Rules has called for annulment of structural and procedural changes made under the new law and rules.
The ministry of commerce has extended the date for associations and chambers to register with it under the new rules. The traders' bodies are totally indifferent to it, as none of them have so far approached to the ministry for registration.
The FPCCI ruling group, Businessmen Panel has already shown interest to sort out the issue of TOO amicably and offered Commerce Minister, Humayun Akhtar Khan full co-operation to help him come to an acceptable solution to TOO controversy.