KARACHI: Election commission of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has made all arrangements to hold election for the year 2022 on Thursday (Dec 30).
Two leading groups of business community - Businessman Panel (BMP) led by Mian Anjum Nisar and United Business Group (UBG) led by S M Muneer and Iftikhar Ali Malik - are the main contesters of the election in which some 375 registered voters will cast their votes.
Polling will continue from 9.30 am to 5:30pm with one-hour break for lunch and prayers.
Polling will be held for the slot of President, Senior Vice President, Vice President (FATA, Federal Areas), Vice President (KPK), Vice President (Punjab), Vice President (Small Chamber), Vice President (Association) and Vice President (Balochistan).
Vote counting will start right after the voting process and result is expected to be announced around 10 pm. The business community pundits claim that the election will likely to be turned into an interesting scenario on the concept of a ‘hung parliament’.
Both the main groups claim that they would push the government to initiate long-term economic planning for the betterment of business community of Pakistan. They have assured that the business community has ability to change the fate of Pakistan and transform it into a prosperous country.
As per final list four candidates are in the run for the seat of President including Dr Noman Idrees Butt of UBG, Irfan Iqbal Sheikh of BMP, Muhammad Aslam Shaikh and Aami Ata Bajwa. However both UBG and BMP candidates are strong ones and stiff competition is expected.
Muhammad Hanif Gohar of UBG and M Suleman Chawla of BMP are contesting for Senior Vice President Seat.
On one seat of Balochistan there are three candidates: Ghulam Muhammad, Juma Khan and Jamal Ud Din. On one vice president seat of Federal Capital area there is a contest between Amin Ullah Baig, Malik Sohail Hussain and Imran Ali. A one-to-one contest between Umair Masood Ur Rehmain and Niaz Ahmed Naz is on one vice president seat of KPK. Likewise, on one vice president seat of Punjab there is one-to-one contest between Khalil Ahmed and Qazi Muhammad Akbar. On one vice president seat each of Sindh and Small Traders, Mohasin Maqbool Shaikh and Haji Muhammad Yaqoob have been elected unopposed, respectively. There is one-to-one contest between Riffat Malik and Rukhsana Nadir on Women chamber seat.
There are eight candidates contesting election of four seats of vice president of Association: Muhammad Nadeem Qureshi BMP, Shabbir Hussan (Mansha Churra) BMP, Engr M A Jabbar BMP, Shaukat Ali BMP, Furrukh Abdul Kadir UBG, Shabab Ahmed, Syed Jawad Hassain Shah Kazmi, and Muhammad Danish Khan UBG.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021