ISLAMABAD: Chairman of the Businessmen Panel of FPCCI and Former Provincial Minister, Mian Anjum Nisar, Senior Vice Chairman and Former Provincial Minister, Mian Zahid Hussain, Secretary General Senator Haji Ghulam Ali, Chairman Sindh Zakaria Usman, Chairman Punjab Khawaja Shahzeb Akram, Chairman Balochistan Naveed Jan Baloch, Chairman KPK Adnan Jaleel, Shoukat Ahmed and Saquib Fayyaz Magoon while talking to the business community on Wednesday said that businessmen panel has always played vital role in expressing the challenges faced by the trade and industry. It not only raised voice for the resolution of industry’s problem but also suggested possible solutions to the problems. Economic Coordination Committee’s decision to provide uninterrupted gas supply to zero rated and captive power industry in winter season and provision of 12 MMCFD gas to SNGPL from Dhok Hussain and 10 MMCFD gas from Bitrism gas field to SSGCL is appreciative and in accordance to the demand of the business community.
The BMP has issued a detailed statement on the closure of gas to the important industrial sector in winter and raised its voice on different forums; as a result, the decision has been reverted, while the federation’s leadership kept silent on this important issue pertaining to industrial sector of the Country.
Businessmen Panel’s leadership said with uninterrupted gas supply, more than 2000 industrial units may resume their production across Sindh and Balochistan saving employment of millions of people. Both institutions responsible for gas supply will conveniently manage the load for industrial sector with provision of extra gas, as decided in the ECC. Secretary textile will coordinate with ministry of petroleum for implementation of this decision effective from September 27, 2018 while ministry of finance is working on the mechanism for implementation of the decision.
The BMP leadership said that immediate and new export friendly policies are vital to support and increase Country’s exports, without which the control over trade deficit is impossible. In the first four months of current fiscal year, trade deficit has accumulated to $ 12 billion at the average of $ 3 billion per month, if instant measures to increase exports are not introduced, the trade deficit will increase further instead of decline. Ruling group of federation has done nothing for the exports development in its four years’ tenure except making words and false hope as well as fake promises to the business community. BMP after succeeding the FPPCI election will work with full enthusiasm for the challenges faced by the business community while using the effective forum of FPCCI for the growth in Country’s exports.