There will be no hurried decision on the MFN status given to India and the business community concerns would be satiated first, assured Governor Punjab Sardar Latif Khosa to a 17-member LCCI delegation led by its President Irfan Qaiser Sheikh and Vice President Saeeda Nazar during a call-on meeting on Wednesday.
Rest assured, no harm will be done to the interests of the business community and the LCCI reservations on this issue would be conveyed to Federal government, the Governor said categorically. On SRO 821 of 2011, Governor Punjab said that he was in constant contact with the Chairman Federal Board of Revenue and all decisions would be taken in consultation with the business community. Punjab Governor also gave a go ahead to the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the early establishment of Businessmen-Police Liaison Committee (BPLC) saying that the business community of the country needs to be protected as no country can grow and flourish in the presence of turbulence or turmoil.
He said that the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and industry should prepare a methodology and framework so that the proposed BPLC could shape up as early as possible. On a proposal of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Governor said that he would talk to the Prime Minister for the inclusion of LCCI Executive Committee members in all economy-related Federal Government committees. He said that the private sector is an engine of growth and the business community participation is a must to keep the economic wheel of the country moving. The LCCI President Irfan Qaiser sheikh also discussed the ongoing gas and electricity shortage, unprecedented 58 per cent hike in electricity tariff in last three months, two weekly offs and early closure of markets with the Governor.