LAHORE: The Businessmen Panel (BMP), the ruling group of the FPCCI, has nominated the noted businessman and former LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh from Lahore as its presidential candidate for the FPCCI elections of 2021-22 in view of his great performance as a PIAF Chairman as well as LCCI president in the past.
The decision was taken in the Core Committee of the BMP under the chairmanship of Mian Anjum Nisar, the chief of Businessmen Panel. Other three candidates of vice president, who were announced in the ceremony, included Shabbir Mansha Churra, Suleman Chawla and Nadeem Qureshi.
Addressing the ceremony held here, Mian Anjum Nisar highlighted the BMP leaders' struggle and achievements over last two years, as the ruling group of FPCCI, and said that despite several issues representatives of BMP have performed well in the country's largest trade body and most issues of business community were resolved through the platform of FPCCI.
The BMP would win FPCCI elections for the third consecutive time with a big margin on the basis of its best possible performance amid Covid-19 pandemic negative effects on trade and industry, he claimed.
Mian Anjum Nisar said that reduction in key policy rate and timely release of refund claims are two major achievements of the BMP during past two years. Interest rate was cut on the recommendations of FPCCI for the betterment of the business community.
Our team regularly pursued the government including Prime Minister Imran Khan and got many critical issues resolved, which include a major cut in interest rate and expediting processing of tax refunds, he claimed.
He said that during past two years not only all departments of the federal government recognized the FPCCI, but the Prime Minister Imran Khan also met the president FPCCI many times to discuss issues of the business community.
FPCCI Presidential candidate Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, on this occasion, said that the BMP is the representative group of the business community of the country and we will participate in the next elections to the best of our ability and ensure the success of our group.
He said that the strongest group of Lahore Chamber has joined the BMP under the leadership of Mian Misbahur Rehman and Farooq Iftikhar. He said that the BMP has already started the election campaign.
Irfan Sheikh said that Lahore has been a key player in the political, cultural and social life of the country and now the Lahore Chapter has played an active role within the BMP.
He said that during the past tenure, the members of the UBG have ruined the FPCCI, while the BMP has not only improved its finances but also contributed millions to the exchequer of the federation during the last two years.
FPCCI Presidential candidate resolved to make the best use of this supreme trade forum for the good of the country by promoting trade and industry through getting solved all their genuine issues to ensure a level playing field and make Pakistan's private sector cost competitive.
Irfan Iqbal Sheikh mentioned that by holding various important positions on different business forums, including as a president of LCCI, he fought and got settled many important issues confronting trade and industry in the country.
Through further policy and structural reforms, he would make FPCCI as the real national business platform with a strong voice and influence in the formulation of economic policies of the country, he added.
Meanwhile, leadership of the Progressive Group in Lahore Chamber of Commerce and the leadership of the Pakistan Business Forum have announced their support for the Businessmen Panel (BMP) candidate Irfan Iqbal Sheikh.
During a meeting office bearers of three organizations including the Travel Agents Association Executive Committee and General Body members, gave their full support to the Businessmen Panel. Mian Anjum Nisar, Chairman, Businessmen's Panel and Presidential candidate Irfan Iqbal Sheikh and other leaders of the businessmen panel were present on the occasion.
Pakistan Business Forum Lahore President Ijaz Tanveer, Progressive Group President Khalid Usman and other senior leadership such as Abdul Wadud Alvi, Ali Imran Mohsin Bashir and others were also present on the occasion.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021