The presidential candidate of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) for Businessmen Panel (BMP), Senator Haji Ghulam Ali said Political Parties need to consider the issues of Business Community and make polices accordingly. He said, "We need to make economic policies beyond party affiliation, need to focus on development." In this regard proper mechanism of interaction between policy makers and business community need to be made.
He said that sitting management of the apex body FPCCI has failed to safeguard the interests of the business community reeling under multiple problems while it has also remained unsuccessful to give any solid recommendations to the government for economic revival in the last three years.
Regardless the business community pinned high hopes with the FPCCI but due to poor performance disappointed traders at large and further the Apex Chamber has not issued a single laudable report in three years. Ali viewed that in last three years the office of the TDAP was used politically for vested interests of SM Muneer and the former CEO deviated from his role which the government assigned to him which is a novel example in our country history.
The Business Community has asked the leadership of UBG that what have you done for us? except false commitments and fake promises. He also said the funds of the Federation was not only for the salaries of the staff but actually apex body funds were supposed to be used on extensive R&D, conduct thought provoking workshops and to develop strong liaison with the international trade bodies. Yet the newly constructed FPCCI Capital office was not utilized properly to serve any purpose.
Ghulam Ali also called upon the support of newly EC and GB members of the FPCCI in order to change the fate of the Federation which is mandatory to address the issues of the business community. The Presidential Candidate further viewed that improve political situation and law and order will automatically boost the economy. He said that process of reforms should be initiated in the FBR and the tax system should be made friendly so that people start paying taxes which is imperative for the survival of the country.
"Though business community has been burdened with additional taxes of one trillion rupees over the last few years which has helped tax authorities, showing 73 per cent growth in the collection and now the existing taxpayers cannot be burdened anymore," he said. The Senator also proposed that FBR should try to find new taxpayers so that the real tax potential which is at least four-fold in volume can be realized.
Withholding tax should be reduced and the tax system should be made balanced so that poor does not suffer which is necessary to reduce poverty and crimes, he added.