Democracy imperative in chambers to promote businesses
Qabza groups holding many business chambers as hostage
Islamabad: [Sept 12]
The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Monday said introduction of democracy is must in business chambers for the development of economy and true representation of the business community.
Many chambers of commerce and industry (CCIs) have lost their effectiveness to families, lobbies and groups that have taken over these bodies since long, it said.
Rules and regulations are frequently been ignored in many chambers of commerce for personal gains which is impeding economic growth and triggering unrest among business community, said Dr. Murtaza Mughal, President of the Pakistan Economy Watch.
Promotion of the economy can be ensured after free and equal representation in all the trade bodies, he added.
He said that complaints of ignoring collective interest over personal gains, misusing funds, useless foreign visits, photo sessions, visa business and misguiding common traders as well as government officials have steadily been increasing.
Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that the primary concern of such qabza groups is personal gain with no collective thinking; many have made fortunes in the process while keeping cordial relations with important officials keep things smooth.
He said that like past, all the ten members of the executive committee of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) have again been elected unopposed recently. All of them belong to Founder Group ruling ICCI since a decade.
The Founder Group is being controlled by an industrialist and a shopkeeper, he said.
It is an open secret that decision to make Mr Yasir Sakhi But as new president of ICCI has been taken a year ago. Everyone in the business community knows it before the elections scheduled on Sept 14 which prove the undemocratic and unethical style of governance.
This group is known for making life miserable of those who demand democracy or want an end to the illegal activities of the group.
Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that a leader of Founder Group has been recently elected as member of the Executive Committee for the fifth time. He remained president of ICCI in 1995, while his come served as president ICCI in 2000. His brother remained executive member in 2005 while his another son remained as Senior Vice President.
The post of SVP never existed in the rules but it is frequently created in many chambers in violation of law, he added.
He said that incumbent Chairman of the Founder Group has served as president ICCI twice, served once as SVP, remained in Executive Committee for six times and remained as member of Executive Council of the FPCCI for four times.
Apart from these two leaders, remaining members of the Founder Group are dubbed as puppets by the business community that avoid going to ICCI, he said.
Similarly, he said that Mian Group is looming over Rawalpindi CCI since last fifteen years while a nationalist politician is dominating Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Mardan chambers since long.
Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that politics in many chambers sometimes take such an ugly turn that Government had to intervene and install administrators as it did in Faisalabad and Gujrat chambers.
There is an urgent need to introduce democracy in business chambers across Pakistan and elections should be held under supervision of a judge of High Court, he said.
Dr. Murtaza Mughal asked the Chief Justice Islamabad High Court to take note of the situation and take corrective action.
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Dr. Murtaza Mughal
Cell: 0321-5157671
President Pakistan Economy Watch
Phone Numbers for Confirmation
- Chairman Founder group Munawar Mughal 0300-5207448
- Sitting President ICCI Mahfooz Elahi 0300-8552232
- Former Chairman Founder Group Khalid Jaweed 0333-5195083
- Former SVP ICCI Shaban Khalid 0333- 5111118
- Veteran Business leader Jahangir Akhtar 0344-5111174
- Former President ICCI Shahid Rashid Butt 0333-5132199
- Former President ICCI Ijaz Abbasi 0300-85000313
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