Business community is waiting anxiously for new finance minister, being delaying for more than 10 days since the resignation of Shaukat Tarin. Talking to Business Recorder, the business circles said many issues are lying pending with the absence of a finance minister in the country amid unusual business circumstances arising out of energy crisis and security lapses.
Some senior businessmen said Shah Mahmood Qureshi might be the best choice of the government for the slot of federal finance minister, carrying handsome experience of working as finance minister Punjab in the past. Also, they added, Shah Mahmood Qureshi was a man of integrity and acceptable to all political parties besides having deep understanding of his job as finance minister.
However, they added in the same breath that Shah Mahmood Qureshi would have to face opposition from the office of prime minister, as both of them belong to similar area.
It may be noted that the press reports have been suggesting that the government was all set to pick Naseem Baig for the office of finance minister but the government dropped the option of taking him as finance advisor/minister after heavy media criticism for his alleged friendship with President Asif Ali Zardari.
The business circles further pointed out that both Dr Ishrat Hussain and Hafiz Pasha have already refused for the office of finance minister. Interestingly, the business community is left into lurch after the departure of Shaukat Tarin, who was quite vocal, especially after opposing the idea of installing Rental Power Plants (RPPs).
The textile industry is in particular facing music in the hands textile minister and they have openly expressed their displeasure with the steps taken by the textile ministry on curbing exports of cotton yarn. The business circles said they wanted to have someone who could revive the sluggish economy by instilling confidence by his actions.