The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME), has invited the attention of Prime Minister, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani to economic challenges faced by the country and take immediate steps to save the nation from the worsening situation.
President UNISAME, Zulfikar Thaver said it is crucial that the prime minister urgently directs the finance, commerce and ministries to accept the fact that the country is facing economic challenges and take immediate steps to overcome this serious situation.
He invited the attention of the Prime Minister to the fact that the situation demands the need for expert advice on the economic aspects to revitalise the finance, commerce and industry of the country. He pointed out that the expenses of all the ministries should be curtailed immediately and austerity measures should be put in place.
He said the rupee is depreciating, inflation and cost of production is increasing, energy supply is low, law and order is poor, corruption is high, flood relief work and rehabilitation is very poor, unemployment, common man is unable to survive and businesses are closing down due to losses.
He urged the government to take measures such as rewarding exporters with higher rate of exchange to boost exports and importers with a lower rate of exchange to reduce the cost of raw material and packing materials.
Government should impose heavy duties on import of luxury goods and on imports of those goods which are manufactured in the country but yet imported for the elite.
Government should declare amnesty to expatriates by providing a preferential rate of exchange and tax them at a reasonable rate to provide an incentive to bring back their wealth back into the country.
Every effort must be made to fill the energy gap and the government should import electricity or settle the circular debt to overcome power outages.
Floods have caused a tremendous loss to farmers and the government should take steps to ensure fast rehabilitation to enable them to get back to work, he emphasised.
