LAHORE – Setting aside the recommendations of over 30 chambers of commerce and industry, the government has announced a mini-budget within and has proved that the present regime has little regard for those who at the heart of the economy. “There is no point left that the government is more interested in imposing the dictates of their foreign masters instead of evolving methodologies to cope with the economic challenges being faced by the business community.” In a statement issued here Friday, the LCCI President Shahzad Ali Malik said that the business community out rightly rejected the mini-budget and would be announcing its strategy very soon as the process of consultations had already been initiated by the leaders of the business community.
Malik said that the disregard shown by the government towards the suggestions of the business leaders was very shocking for the entire business community. “We want the broadening of tax net but currently as we are facing the electricity and gas shortages, we will not accept the GST measures and the flood surcharge”. He added, “We want to hold a discussion with the government on all the issues facing the country but the government has never consulted the business community”. He stressed that the government would have to bring other sectors into tax-net for generating additional income. He said that the business community urged the government to sell out all the non-profitable state-owned organizations and curbing pervasive corruption.
It was noted that the business community has also called upon the government for taking short term and long term steps for the economic wellbeing of the country.
The business community also announced that it has set-up “Pakistan Water Front” consisting of the members of business community which would hold consultative meeting with all the political parties of the country to convince them for building water reservoirs including Kalabagh Dam.
Syed Ali Raza said that Indian government has allocated $120 billion for water management projects and India would continue constructing water reservoirs on the river flowing to Pakistan. He said that within next five to six years Pakistan would be confronted with severe water crisis and the government has to decide building of large scale water projects, which would be utilised for irrigation as well as to generate cheaper electricity.
During a media briefing after the conference, the RCCI President Syed Ali Raza besides other Presidents of their chambers and industries told that besides discussing measures to be taken by the government for economic reforms, the conference elaborated on water sector reforms, energy sector reforms and improving the law and order situation.
