Interview: Patron in Chief of KATI & United Business Group (UBG), Former Vice-Chairman MCB Bank, Former Chief Executive TDAP, Former President of FPCCI, Leader of Business Community of Pakistan and Chairman Din Group S.M. Muneer has said that FPCCI’s credible platform should not be used for personal purposes but for the development of Pakistan. In the recent election of the federation, fraud was committed against us. Our candidate Khalid Tawab was winning by five votes. An unsuccessful attempt was made to turn it into a defeat. The president should issue a notification to be elected. He said that K-Electric would have sunk by now if it had not been with the private sector. Some powers want to gain personal interest by distributing K-Electric. The federation blamed K-Electric, although K-Electric is doing a good job, it needs to cooperate with them. Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been said to take steps to reduce inflation in six months. I don’t know what they want to do. There are fights and quarrels every day it is said that they do not know anything about the economy.
He expressed these views in an exclusive interview in his Din House on Monday. S.M. Muneer said that due to the persistent ill-health of me and senior leaders, responsibilities were assigned to dynamic people. Secretary-General Zafar Bakhtawari and Secretary Information Dr. Mirza Ikhtiar Baig are fit for their posts of UBG. He said that UBG members have been mobilized all over the country including Karachi. We have not lost any election but we will take full part in the next rigged election as well.
He said that the present DGTO is an honest man in my view. The opposition group had taken a stay order (restraining order) against us from the High Court but the High Court rejected the petition. So we will go to court. He said that many people of our opposition group in FPCCI went to jail for lust for power but we work cleanly. None of our men have gone to jail. This group is currently the largest group in the Pakistan business community.
Replying to a question, S.M. Muneer said that if K Electric had not been owned by the private sector, when would this company have been shut down? Problems abound. Electricity is stolen from the canals, but despite the fact that the electrician is doing a good job, they should not be bothered but should be helped. The situation of the people sitting in the FPCCI at the moment is that they do not know what they want to do. There are fights and quarrels every day. They are calling each other bad. They know nothing about the economy. That the federation blamed K Electric on someone’s request.
He said that FPCCI has failed to solve the problems of the business community. I have also come to know that the FPCCI delegation met the Prime Minister of Pakistan but did not speak in any manner. He expressed the hope that the current budget will be business-friendly. If the current budget is not business-friendly then everything will be ruined. He is sure that PM Imran Khan will present a good budget. If the budget is good then the country will develop and progress.
Replying to a question, he said, “I tell everyone that the situation in Pakistan is going to get better. Our Prime Minister is an honest man. He has not squandered a single penny. The Prime Minister should control his people.”
Responding to a question, he said that the new Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen is a good man and he is sure that he will do a good job. Despite the cowardice, all sectors of Pakistan are improving. After which there is a strong hope that Pakistan’s GDP will increase further in the coming days. We are lucky that all the crops except the carton have bumper production. We used to import a lot of things which made the dollar out. It was going, but people living abroad are sending 2.5 billion to Pakistan. This has never happened before. Today, Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves are also increasing.
He said that he hoped that no new tax would be imposed in the budget of the New Year. He said that Pakistani investors could not afford any more new taxes. He should be punished. The government should give more relief to the taxpayers who are not paying taxes. He should control it. In my view, every Pakistani should pay taxes. Agriculture has also been brought into the tax net.
Replying to another question, S.M. Muneer said that electricity and gas are a big issue for Pakistani industries. The prices of electricity and gas in Pakistan are very high as compared to other countries in the region due to which we cannot compete with other countries. Finance Minister Shaukat Tareen, has also said that he will not accept any illegitimate statement of the IMF. We also say that no illegitimate statement of the financial institutions should be accepted because the economy is negatively affected and people are unemployed. There is no doubt that the current government is facing inflation. I have spoken to Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan on the telephone and I have also pointed out that the rate of inflation in the country should be reduced. He said for six months to control inflation.
He said that 70% of the people in the opposition meeting are stung by inflation and the opposition cries for inflation so inflation has to be controlled otherwise where the poor will get bread and where is the government people’s salaries will continue to increase.
