The business community on Wednesday strongly criticised the Punjab government for lodging FIR against President of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Irfan Qaiser Sheikh and KCCI former President Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh on baseless grounds of road-blocking/holding public gathering on the occasion of Pakistan Day.
LCCI former presidents Mian Muhammad Ashraf, Iftikhar Ali Malik, Sheikh Muhammad Asif, Mian Anjum Nisar, Mian Shafqat Ali, Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, Shahzad Ali Malik, Former Senior Vice Presidents Tahir Javed Malik, former Vice Presidents Aftab Ahmad Vohra, Irfan Iqbal Sheikh and Chairman PIAF Sohail Lashari said that a sports/race activity and a function was organised in Chiniot on the occasion of Pakistan National Day to encourage and promote patriotism, particularly among youth and generally in the citizens.
Irfan Qaiser Sheikh and Qaiser Ahmad Sheikh are eminent businessmen having repute in both public and private sectors, regularly organize this event on the Pakistan National Day in Chiniot and also participate in the said sports activities. They said that this year also with prior information to the concerned quarters, they organised the said sports activity, however, FIR was lodged against the Irfan Qaiser Sheikh and Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh on baseless grounds and unfair motives.
They strongly condemned such uncalled-for act of lodging FIR against the sitting President of the LCCI Irfan Qaiser Sheikh and former President KCCI Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh and expressed solidarity with them for promoting patriotic sense among the masses and encouraging youth for sports and healthy activities on the occasion of Pakistan Day and strongly deplored the action and misuse of power by the concerned department.
This action against the business community leaders would further aggravate the situation and discourage the businessmen who were already struggling for survival due to unprecedented load shedding and deteriorating law and order situation. They said that instead of appreciating the role of business community, FIRs being lodged against them that would force the businessmen to shift their industries to other countries. They demanded of the Punjab government to withdraw his FIR.