Lahore - The whole business community, including Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, all its affiliated chambers and associated trade bodies on Saturday unanimously announced to continue its unflinching and unwavering full support to the prime minister and valiant armed forces for stamping out the menace of terrorism.
Chairman United Business Group and Saarc CCI vice president Iftikhar Ali Malik said despite facing problems, the entire business community had expressed solidarity in the larger national interest.
The entire nation stood united behind Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif & Chief of Army Staff Gen Raheel Sharifto weed out the terror from the region, he added.
He said for smooth flow of continued foreign and local investment, peaceful environment and political stability was mandatory.
Referring to the prevailing international scenario, he said the country was passing through a most critical phase of its history. The business community would continue to extend its full support and co-operation to the prime minister.
GCCI president Samee Ullah Ch said durable peace and stability in the region was a pre-requisite for economic prosperity and development. The business community had always strongly condemned the acts of terrorism across the world.
Samee Ullah Ch said that GCCI will support the government, armed forces, Pakistan Rangers and law enforcing agencies in intensifying crackdown against unscrupulous elements indulging in activities detrimental to the law of land.
He said the traders would join hands against extremism and wage a relentless campaign against those fanning hatred and preaching violence in the society in the name of religion.
To a question, he said that with a view to increase production, the business community would have to spend its energies for increasing exports, particularly the export of non-traditional items needs to be focused. He said that simplification of taxes should also be on priority list of the govt, asserting that the main objective of the GCCI was promotion of trade and industry and all available resources should be utilized for economic turnaround as the economic meltdown had now started taking its toll.
FPCCI president Rauf Alam said that no religion preached terrorism. It was high time for the Muslim Ummah to forge unity in its ranks and thwart the ulterior and evil designs of the forces inimical to Islam.
He said Islam was the religion of peace, love and international brotherhood, and condemned nefarious and inhuman activities such as terrorism and religious and sectarian prejudices.
Rauf Alam said that some elements were trying to use FPCCI for their vested interests but business community has rejected them and chosen true representatives of business community. Pakistan was passing through a critical time of its history, as political instability, energy crisis, high markup and banking spread were impeding economic growth of the country, he said, adding that FPCCI would focus these issues and prepare well-thought suggestions to the government for early solution.