Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Thursday expressed concern over the deteriorating law and order across the country and said it had adversely affected the national economy.
President PFCCI, Tanvir Ahmad Sheikh said that in the prevailing scenario world-wide, the survival of any country or state only depends on sound economy, which, he observed, is only possible through peaceful atmosphere, better law and order and business friendly environment in the country.
He said entire nation including FPCCI, all chambers of commerce and industry, business community was shocked over the assassination of former Prime Minister Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto which, he said, was a great national loss.
He said during the disturbances in wake of this tragedy, the anti-social and unscrupulous elements caused tremendous loss to private, public property and ransacked the export bound goods, set ablaze trains, buildings and petrol pumps. He said export bound consignments and ships were delayed for a reasonable period which caused great financial loss to the country.
Chairman Businessman Penal, the largest alliance of chambers and traders in the country, Tariq Sayeed expressing his views said economic growth and foreign investment is only possible when overall law and order situation in the country is satisfactory and life and property of all citizens are fully protected even during disturbance.
He said in present situation, no foreign investor is willing to investment in Pakistan as climate is not favourable. He said Pakistan could never afford such situation and sorry state of affairs which it faced last week.
Founder President Pak-US Business Council, former federation chief and veteran trade leader Iftikhar Ali Malik made an impassioned appeal to all political parties to give top priority to peaceful atmosphere in the country which is pre-requisite for sustainable economic growth for the survival of the country and promotion of democracy.
He said unscheduled power and gas load shedding without consulting the chambers was another serious setback to industry as the cost of production increased after using diesel. He said due to closure of factories, mills and plants the exporters could not export their consignments.
Pakistan after the assassination of Mohtarama Benazir Bhutto is passing through critical phase, he observed and said now it is high time for all political parties to get united on one point agenda to help maintain durable peace in the country in the larger national interest.
President LCCI Mian Muhammad Ali said that more than one trillion rupees loss was suffered only by the business community throughout the country as a result of disturbances following the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.