While demanding role of business community in decision making, Pakistan Industrial & Traders Associations Front (PIAF) has urged the government to redesign all economy-related policies in consultation with private sector to bring the country out of IMF and World Bank shackles.
The demand was raised by PIAF Chairman Engineer Sohail Lashari, LCCI former President Mian Anjum Nisar and LCCI Senior Vice President Sheikh Mohammad Arshad during their meeting with the office-bearers of Pakistan Auto & Spare Parts Importers & Dealers Association (PASPIDA) at Badami Bagh Auto Market.
The LCCI former Presidents Mian Shafqat Ali, Mohammad Ali Mian, Zafar Iqbal Chaudhry, PIAF former Chairman Irfan Qaiser Sheikh, LCCI Vice President Sohail Azhar, PIAF Executive Committee Members Mohammad Irfan Sheikh, Mudassar Masood Chaudhry, PASPIDA Chairman Abid Javed, Vice Chairman S.M. Abdullah, Sohail Butt and Sardar Hameed Khan also spoke on the occasion and discussed various issues being faced by the business community.
The LCCI former President Mian Anjum Nisar, while criticizing Valuation System of Customs, urged the Federal Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Fahim and Chairman FBR to restructure and reform the system in consultation with the stakeholders. He also demanded the transfer of Director General Valuation to Lahore since the city is a hub of business activities and posting of DG Valuation in Islamabad makes little sense. He said that the business community is extremely patriotic and has always rendered tremendous services, not only for trade and industry but for the country at large as well. Despite suffering severe crisis, the business community helped FBR meet revenue collection target. He said that the business community has the ability to pull the country out of heavy debts but first of all the government has to assist the stake holders by putting an end to the power crisis in the country.
Mian Anjum Nisar exclaimed that a flood of smuggled goods are hollowing the foundation of domestic industry. He urged the government to tackle the menace of smuggling with an iron fist.
The LCCI Senior Vice President Sheikh Mohammad Arshad in his address said that the LCCI was playing its role by negotiating with the concerned authorities for ensuring maximum hours of uninterrupted electricity supply to industrial units and business houses. He assured the PASPIDA office-bearers that a meeting in this regard would be called soon wherein PEPCO and LESCO authorities would be invited.
The PIAF Chairman Sohail Lashari also urged the authorities to introduce stack car parking system in Badami Bagh Auto Market as conventional parking is not effective in one of the biggest auto markets of Asia because of non availability of ample parking space and heavy consumer traffic. On the occasion, PASPIDA Chairman vowed to assist the government if it decides on taking any such initiative.
