Karachi (09-11-2023) The ruling Businessmen’s Panel (BMP) and its opposition United Business Group (UBG) have not yet started their regular election campaign in the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) elections on December 30. However, the presidential candidates of both the groups are conducting election campaigns through pamphlets through WhatsApp, but the election campaign could not get any life. This time, the presidential candidates in FPCCI will be nominated from Islamabad and its adjoining areas. However, the ruling businessman panel has nominated Muhammad Ali, a businessman from Gujranwala Chamber and inexperienced in Federation Chamber affairs, as the presidential candidate, while the United Business Group has nominated Atif Ikram Sheikh from Islamabad, who was previously the vice president of the federation. but he does not have much experience of working as President as Atif Ikram Sheikh spent most of his time as Vice President in Peshawar and Islamabad and FPCCI head office is in Karachi. Both the candidates for the presidency are unknown to the new voters of FPCCI. Atif Ikram Sheikh is only dreaming of becoming the president with the help of some chambers and associations in Islamabad and Peshawar. Atif Ikram Sheikh has no connection with the voters of trade, export and import associations of Sindh, while the businessman panel won all four seats of the associations in December 2021 on the votes of the same associations, while the fake association of Balochistan. The vote of the businessman was also taken advantage of by the panel of businessmen, but the decision of the fate of the baran associations will be in the hands of the Supreme Court. In the contacts with the voters of several associations in Karachi, it was revealed that they know the presidential candidates of both groups. Not only that, but Mian Nasir Hayat, the former president of the Federation, is working hard for the presidential candidate Mohammad Ali on behalf of the businessman panel, including in Karachi, but the UBG candidate has not yet been able to contact the voters, which may weaken his position. For both the presidential candidates, this election will be like chewing iron, but despite this, UBG President Zubair Tufail and other leaders Khalid Tawab, Hanif Gohar, Ahmad Chinoy Sindh and Iftikhar Ali Malik’s nephew Momin Ali Malik and his team in Punjab. Pro-presidential candidate Atif Ikram is working hard for Sheikh. It should be clear that the December 30 election for the ruling businessman panel in FPCCI will not be easy because those who have been supporting the chairman of this group are no longer in power. and the interest of political circles in FPCCI elections has increased over the past few years.
