Chairman, Pakistan Industrial and Traders Association Front (PIAF),Irfan Qaiser Shaikh has claimed that over hundred of major city markets have announced their support for the PIAF-Founders Alliance. While talking to Business Recorder, he said that Tuesday was the last day of the election campaign, as the poll for the Association Class would take place Thursday (tomorrow).
He said that the PIAF-Founder Alliance has been ruling at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) for last many years because of its dedication towards redressing the business community's problems. This year, the Alliance has also introduced competent candidates having ability to play their role in serving the businessmen interest. Meanwhile, the Alliance hosted traditional grand Iftar dinner for the office bearers of traders associations of the city markets who announced their support for its candidates.
The PIAF-Founder Alliance leaders, including Mian Tajammal Hussain, Irfan Qaiser Sheikh, Mian Anjum Nisar, Mian Mohammad Ashraf, Iftikahr Ali Malik, Mian Shafqat Ali, Mian Misbahur Rehman, Mohammad Ali Mian, Syed Mohsin Raza Bukhari and Sheikh Mohammad Arshad were also present at the event. Speaking on the occasion, they said the presence of such a large number of business leaders at event makes the point that the alliance had always selected right people for the representation of the business community.
Throwing light on the performance of outgoing LCCI office-bearers, they said that it was the LCCI that compelled the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) to bring down the mark up rates by two percent from 15 per cent which was too high. They further said that the announcement of Trade Policy for a three-year period was also a big success of the business community and proves that their elected representatives have the guts to get the things done in larger interests of the country.
Over the issue of electricity, the Alliance leaders said that they had already handed over a roadmap to the government that includes short-term, medium-term and long-term methodologies. They stressed on the government to concentrate on hydel means of power generation that was only way to ensure provision of cheaper electricity and help make Pakistani goods competitive in the global market.
The Anjuman-e-Tajran President Haji Maqsood Butt, President Urdu Bazar Khalid Pervaiz, President Shah Alam Market Haji Mohammad Munir, Haji Nasrullah Qadri of McLeod Road, Mian Waqar Ahmad from Badami Bagh, Colonel Akbar (Retd) of Hafeez Centre and Mian Mohammad Ishfaq of hall Road and the President of Liberty Market and Ferozepur Road also spoke on the occasion.