Karachi : Mr. Suleman Chawla, Acting President FPCCI, has offered heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones of the tragic incident of stampede at a ration distribution drive in Karachi’s SITE industrial area – resulting in the most unfortunate loss of precious human lives.
Mr. Suleman Chawla explained that it was being conducted, without an iota of doubt ,with a highly-noble, praiseworthy and exemplary intention; and, was aimed at the cause of helping poor, destitute and needy people of the city; so that, they can feed their families with dignity in these times of staggering food inflation & shortages – which is unmatched in the history of Pakistan!
Mr. Sulemn Chawla, nonetheless, strongly denounced the illogically premature, disheartening and threatening arrests & harassment of the factory owners and management staff of the factory that took a noble, humane and socially-responsible initiative in the holy month of Ramazan. The people who help the needy on a mass-scale with sustenance food should be our role models & must be encouraged; instead of being punished for their philanthropy.
Acting FPCCI Chief also questioned the indecision and inaction of the government in tackling stagflation &unemployment in the country; and, its own numbers are showing a 46.65 percent inflation in the sensitive price index (SPI). What the government has done to manage and regulate the supply-side disruptions, he added.
Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo, immediate past President FPCCI, questioned the hushed up operation against the philanthropists; who were practically & selflessly distributing the sustenance goods among the masses without asking for their cast, creed, color or religion.
Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo maintained that a meticulous inquiry should have been conducted before taking any punitive or disciplinary action; and, the entire business, industry & trade community of Pakistan is taken aback with such harsh legal proceedings, i.e. arrests &remands. Many businessmen will now be afraid of ration distribution for the fear of any untoward incident &their maltreatment in the aftermath; and, poor families will suffer the most as the result, he added.
Engr. M. A. Jabbar, VP FPCCI, stressed that there is no such SoP, law or regulation that mandates the compulsory intimation to police or DC office before distribution of ration, zakat or sadaqat. He questioned the federal government over a number of deaths and injuries during their own distribution of wheat flour and added that these are very tough economic conditions and people are desperate.
Engr. M. A. Jabbar seconded that opinion of Sindh provincial minister, Mr. Saeed Ghani, that the government should have a consultative process with the philanthropists & business community to formulate a practicable mechanism for the delivery of aid through Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) database; in order to make aid delivery safe, efficient and transparent.
Engr. M. A. Jabbar has apprised that Mr. Riaz Uddin, President of SITE Association of Industry, has fully supported and endorsed FPCCI’s point of view in the above matter.
