United Business Group (UBG) under the dynamic leadership of Patron- in- Chief S M Muneer and Chairman Iftikhar Ahmed Malik and Zubair Tufail President UBG is all poised to stage come back after two years to save FPCCI from total collapse. The FPCCI elections are being held on 30 December 2021. We all know that it was untimely illness of Patron-in-Chief S. M. Muneer former Chairman TDAP and President FPCCI as a result some vested interests prevailed and managed to penetrate in the ranks resulting in losing election by UBG in December 2019. Likewise elections of December 2020 were unique in the nature when both the presidential candidates got 178 votes each and it was a tie. The Election Commission formed for FPCCI elections instead following the set procedure adopted a unique method based on the intentions of voters, and by virtue of intention of voters the commission declared BMP candidate Naseer Hyatt Magoo as president FPCCI setting a new tradition of making mockery of justice when both candidates got equal votes that means that intention of voters was equally in favour of Khalid Tawab and Naseer Hyatt Magoo. It is hoped that this year more transparency shall be observed. UBG this year has fielded most experienced businessman of the country known for their selfless service, integrity, honesty, dedication and known for looking after the interest of business community. Be it Dr Nouman Idris Butt candidate for President FPCCI or Muhammad Hanif Gohar candidate for Senior Vice President FPCCI both carries rich experience in handling most complicated industry related issues with ease and confidence. The business community has seen how disappointing has been the performance of Businessman Panel (BMP). There have been groupings within the group as a result prominent leaders started leaving the group their most active member of the team Mian Zahid Hussain Chairman National Business Group said good bye to them. The entire credit goes to Mr S.M.Muneer who once again motivated business community to come under one umbrella for the sole purpose of helping government to improve deteriorating economic situation of Pakistan and bring back on tracks the economic wheel of the country. UBG has established its election office at the office of M/s Gohar Group of Companies situated at Gohar Chambers Karachi. Mr. S. M. Muneer Patron-in-chief and Chairman UBG Mr. Iftikhar Ali Malik deserve appreciation in choosing the best candidates for the forthcoming election. Mr. S.M.Muneer said the team comprises of known businessman who enjoy excellent reputation in business community. He further added that during their 5 year tenure UBG brought great success to FPCCI within and abroad with outstanding results. He criticised the present team on account of extravagance where as UBG considered the FPCCI assets as sacred trust.
The performance of FPCCI has been most disappointing and brought great humiliation to country during JBC meeting held on 16 September 2021 at Dushanbe Tajikistan in presence of Prime Minister of Pakistan who had to intervene and stop Khalid Amin Sheikh Chancellor of Indus University who was nominee of FPCCI to recite his poetry and caused further embarrassment for the country by placing flags of Indus university on the table on which the Tajik counterparts were amazed. We should not compromise respect of country at the cost of favouring friends. Unfortunately FPCCI has been turned in to employment exchange in accommodating friends at salaries out of proportion by creating superfluous appointments. UBG Patron- in- Chief has rightly criticised the present team on extravagance that runs in to millions of rupees for which there was no justification.
UBG has to work hard in putting the things in order and start from scratch to build up cash reserves. It will be more appropriate after winning election special audit may be ordered. UBG has all along supported PTI government and has been instrumental in helping PTI to get good number of seats from Karachi wants prime minister to steer the country out of present economic crisis. It was UBG pressure that brought great relief especially to construction industry and FBR related concessions has been hailed by all the business community that generated more economic activity and employment opportunities. At present Pakistan is facing multiple economic challenges and facing international pressure on loan adjustment. Tough conditions by IMF have further added problems to business community and are becoming difficult to attract the local and international investors to invest in industrial sector of Pakistan. Investors are shy to invest in Pakistan due to defective economic policies. The existing industry is suffering due to shortage of gas, power and water and unbearable burden of taxes. The government must fulfil the promise to reduce the cost of doing business, if not attended would further result in unemployment. Frankly speaking FPCCI has failed to provide relief to common man; this would need priority and immediate attention
In view of new virus Omicron and corona virus already present FPCCI has now greater burden and guide the government in making business friendly policies with more concessions for all the industries to grow. Still red tapism in the bureaucracy creates hurdles that only aggravate the issues and widen the gap between government and entrepreneurs. It is hoped that UBG after winning election shall come up to the expectations of the people of Pakistan and business community and shall ensure that government honours its commitment made to the business community at large. Lastly corona virus and fresh wave of new virus has hit small traders very badly and they all need financial assistance. FPCCI must device some compensation model to pull out small traders from this agony. After the elections President FPCCI should form a committee comprising entrepreneurs from all the provinces and visit all the associations and affected traders to listen to their grievances and take appropriate measures to revive closed businesses of hard hit traders.