FPCCI, ICCI, trade bodies reject energy conservation plan

Business and trade associations including Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and Islamabad Chamber of Commerce Industry (ICCI) out-rightly rejected the government's energy conservation plan, vowing that the plan would be strongly opposed.
The federal cabinet on Wednesday approved energy conservation measures including five-day working week and closure of markets at sunset. However, the business community opposed the decision under the pretext that they were not taken on board regarding the plan and it would negatively affect trade and business activities in the country.
Office-bearers of business forum, traders, industrialists and exporters of the twin cities of Rawalpindi/Islamabad told Business Recorder that they had not yet received notification in this regard. "However, even if we receive the notification, it will be opposed strongly," they added.
Traders of Blue Area also rejected the energy conservation measures announced by the government, terming it against their interest. The export-oriented sectors will be the worst affected by the decision, members of FPCCI, KCCI, LCCI, and ICCI, besides five export-oriented sectors of the country maintained.
The decision was taken in a meeting attended by hundreds of traders and business leaders including Amin Pirzada, Liaquat Ali Noon, Yusuf Rajput, Haji Muhammad Naeem, Imran ul Haq, and Raja Hassan Akhtar. "Closure of markets is tantamount to economic murder of traders, therefore it will not be allowed and any such move will be resisted," they announced.
Speaking on the occasion, the out-going chairman of Traders Welfare Association Malik Sagheer said such decisions have proved fruitless in the past and have added to the sufferings of masses and business community. "The decision has again been imposed on the masses and it will only create troubles for citizens who need to go to government office for any work," they maintained.
Representatives of ICCI strongly opposed the government decision, saying that government should take solid and concrete steps to bridge the power gap instead of opting for 2-holiday in a week and shutting down of markets before sunset. The decision would further slowdown the already sluggish economic growth and would directly affect the GDP growth.