Negotiations with government: trade bodies of Faisalaabad form two committees

As many as 22 leading trade bodies of Faisalabad have announced to form two separate committees to start immediate negotiations with the government and its institutions for the facilitation of local and export traders. A joint declaration has made it clear that the traders, industrialists and exporters are united at the platform of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), and they would continue their struggle for the resolution of their problems.
The declaration said that pressure would be mounted on the government to provide gas particularly to the value added textile sector during upcoming winter as they have to fulfil their foreign commitments on Christmas and New Year festivals. It also expressed a concern that instead of decreasing the electricity prices additional burden had been added in the form of TR charges. The declaration claimed that it would further enhance the cost of doing business in Pakistan which was already very high as compared to the other regional countries.
Regarding taxation, the joint declaration demanded immediate withdrawal of withholding tax on bank transactions. It also demanded withdrawal of black laws like 40-b and 38-b of Sales Tax Act. The declaration also expressed a concern over extortionists who are creating harassment in the power loom sector. It demanded the district administration and police to take immediate action against Bhatta Mafia without any delay. Immediate resolution of problems being confronted by local importers was also demanded.
Regarding export, the joint declaration urged the immediate payment of Rs 200 billion refund claims that have been in pending for last many years. It also urged the Prime Minister to announce export package without any further delay. Regarding committees, it was decided that Chaudhary Muhammad Nawaz, President FCCI would head the first committee that would deal with the problems of the local trade and industry while Senior Vice President FCCI Syed Zia Alamdar Hussain and Vice President FCCI Jameel Ahmed would jointly head the other committee to negotiate with the government for the resolution of problems confronted by the exporters.
Earlier, Chaudhary Muhammad Nawaz, President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI); Syed Zia Alamdar Hussain, Senior Vice President FCCI; Asghar Ali, President Pakistan Textile Exporters Association (PTEA); Former President FCCI, Engineer Rizwan Ashraf; Dr Khurram, Central Chairman Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA); Qamar Aftab, Regional Chairman Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PHMA); Sheikh Saeed, Central Chairman All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association; Chaudhary Habib Gujjar, Regional Chairman All Pakistan Textile Processing Mills Association (APTPMA); Shakeel Ansari, Chairman Sizing Industries Owners Association; Ajmal Qasuri of All Pakistan Cotton Power looms Association (APCPA); Haji Aslam Bhalli, President Gole Karyana Bazar Assocation; Haji Bashir Ahmed of Anjman Tajran; Rana Sikandar Azam, Rashid Munir, Sanaullah Niazi, Waheed Khaliq Ramay and Naseer Yousaf Vohra addressed the business community on the occasion. Later, Jameel Ahmed, vice president FCCI, thanked the participants of the meeting.