By Asad Cheema
ISLAMABAD: President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Mian Anjum Nisar has hailed Rs 100 billion packages offered to the local industrial sector as a support following current challenging situation, created due to COVID- 19 pandemic by the government.
The government should take preventive measures and develop strategy to protect the pace of economic and trade progress and effects of world economic slowdown as apprehended by leading research organization after evolving the situation in COVID-19 pandemic, he stated.
President FPCCI said the whole world including the potential market of Europe Union (EU) was affected by the coronavirus, which was the second biggest trade destination for Pakistan after the Generalized Schemes of Preferences (GSP-Plus) offered by EU in 2013.
In this regard, the government must to go for conducting studies for mitigating the economic changes after Coronavirus, he said.
Replying to a question, he said that due to coronavirus, the business community all over the country has adopted all necessary measures as directed by the government to control the pandemic. Mian Anjum Nisar, informed that due to coronavirus issue, businesses and industrial units had been closed, but they had to pay the monthly commercial bills of gas and electricity, which was adding to their difficulties.
He also appealed to the government that receipt of commercial bills of gas and electricity from business and industry should be deferred for few months so that business community could be able to cope with the current crisis. He said that whole of the country was in lockdown situation due to which markets and industrial units were closed.
However, the business community had to pay wages of workers and meet day to day expenses as well, he added. Renowned industrialist from Baluchistan, Ex-President FPCCI, Eng. Daroo Khan welcomed the package announced by the government and said that proper mechanism was required to disburse this package according the needs for different industries. He suggested that the government engage all stakeholders to resolve the current evolving challenge.
On the occasion, President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industries (ICCI) Muhammad Ahmed Waheed said that his chamber was fully engage in consultation with government in current challenging situation. Business community of the twin’s city welcomed the Rs100 billion package offered by the government for industrial sector. President, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Agha Shahab Ahmed Khan appreciated the government efforts for mitigating the current challenge.
He said that his chamber and business community from all over the country was committed to support the government in current evolving situation. President, Peshawar Chamber of Commerce and Industry Engr. Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz said that business community of Khyber Puktunkwa (KPK in cooperation with government and stand with the government and lauded Rs 100 billion package announced by the government.
