KARACHI   -    Former Vice President of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and central leader of United Business Group (UBG) Mirza Abdul Rehman Saturday said the business community will never accept extension in tenure of the president of the apex chamber. He said that president of the FPCCI is appointed for one year but leaders of the UBG and FPCCI are trying to extend the term for three years for which relevant laws would need to be amended. Mirza Abdul Rehman said that small provinces get the slot of president FPCCI after seven years and if the rules are changed according to wishes of a few businessmen, the businessmen of small provinces would get chance to become president FPCCI after twenty-one years which is exploitation. He said that the move is against the basic rights of over two hundred chambers of commerce and trade association and it is a bid to introduce dictatorship in the FPCCI which has already lost its worth due to negative role played by leaders of the business community.

The former VP FPCCI noted that UBG came to power promising a change but it has disappointed business community due to compromising on every issue, misuse of funds and efforts aimed at personal welfare. He said that the repute of FPCCI has been damaged to an extent that now the government ignores this institution in every important meeting regarding improvement in the economic situation. Mirza Abdul Rehman said that a standing committee on the Senate with eleven Senators as its members will meet on September 11 to review the proposal of extending tenure of president FPCCI which if accepted will result in nationwide protests by the business community which is already reeling under inflation and taxation issues.