Lahore - The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry elected Sheikh Muhammad Arshad as its new president, Almas Haider as senior vice president and Nasir Saeed as vice president here at the annual general meeting (AGM) of the chamber on Wednesday.
The angry crowd of the opposition alliance, who suffered a clear defeat in second consecutive year, made a hullabaloo when the new office-bearers took the charge. They raised slogans against the chamber management for violating the trade body act 2013 and not getting the accounts of the chamber passed in the AGM. A large number of protesters went to the stage, forcing the newly-elected president to leave the rostrum.
The LCCI new president while addressing the AGM defined their priorities of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Sheikh Muhammad Arshad said that he would concentrate on promotion of R&D culture besides focusing on severe energy crisis, highest in the world banking spread, withholding tax on bank transactions, law and order situation, economy, environment-related regulations and Pakistan’s external trade. He said that leading economists, technocrats, businessmen, bankers and former presidents of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry that would consulted on regular basis to guide the government as to how the economic revival could be achieved in shortest possible time. Newly elected Senior Vice President Almas Haider said that simplification of tax system would be on his priority list.
Newly elected LCCI Vice President Nasir Saeed said that he would focus on strengthening liaison with various government departments as hand-holding by the government at this point in time is the only way to overcome economic meltdown.
The United Business Group chairman Iftikhar Ali Malik, who was leading the election campaign, on this occasion said that Founders firmly believe in rule of law, promotion of democratic system and strengthening of national economy by safeguarding the interests of traders.
He said that Founder-PIAF Alliance is ruling for many years and a huge number of business community and local organisations are continuously supporting its policies.
He said that the main objective of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry was promotion of trade and industry and all available resources would be utilized for economic turnaround.
He congratulated the new office-bearers and hoped that they would utilize their best abilities for the promotion of trade and industry in the country. He said that he would particularly focus on promotion of trade and industry in the country.
He said that the new LCCI management would chalk-out market visit program and listen to the problems of the trading community for an early solution of the issues.
Progressive and Lahore Businessmen Front Alliance spokesperson has once again criticized the chamber management for violating rules and regulations to conduct the AGM. The opposition alliance said that like last year, the accounts were not passed by the general members in the AGM which is mandatory as per SECP rules. They alleged that the ruling alliance ran away along with office management, leaving the agenda of the meeting unfinished.