The Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) has urged the government to take immediate steps in resolving the issues facing the business community and to end the countrywide economic and political uncertainty.
MCCI Members and President, Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi, in a press statement issued here on Thursday, said that the decision to allow 6 percent R and D support was discrimination, because the home textile segment was deprived of the facility. He said that the government should allow use of the facility to all segments of the textile sector.
Roomi said that the MCCI had given many proposals to the government to resolve the issues faced by the business community, but this was to no avail. Regarding the 68 percent increase in gas tariffs, he claimed that the government actually wanted to raise the gas tariff by 31 percent, but increased it 68 percent to later cut it later to 31 percent to keep the business community calm and quiet.
The MCCI chief said the business community would not remain quiet even if the increase in gas tariff were reduced to 31 percent. Roomi added that, "[the] business community has been in a fix, as no decision has been confirmed by the government," adding that the business community was not able to quote rates to buyers because of the government's unclear policies.