960409

FPCCI HQ's be shifting

to Islamabad suggested

ISLAMABAD: The headquarters of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) should be immediately shifted from Karachi to Islamabad, given the fact that all the decision making organs of the government of Pakistan concerned with industrial development, revenue and taxation are located in the Islamabad Capital, said Mr. Shahid Rashid Butt, former President and Chairman Founder Group of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI). The government has established several policy ma king bodies and given representation on them to FPCCI and their meetings a re periodically held in Islamabad. Besides all important discussions and p olicy level decisions concerning the industrialisation, privatisation, lab our welfare, imports and exports, tax law and annual budget formulation ta ke place in Islamabad and to the extent that these matters concern the private sector, which is now a large and significantly important secto r for industrial development in Pakistan, FPCCI President is called upon f or consultation from time to time. It is, therefore, both logical and prud ent, Shahid Rashid Butt stated, that the Federation's headquarter should b e relocated in Islamabad. Karachi may remain as the southern regional offi ce of FPCCI.

Shahid Rashid Butt has emphasised that Islamabad compared to the remo teness of Karachi has several locational advantages and FPCCI's relocation in Islamabad would render consultations with the business and trading co mmunity on matters of industrial and commercial activities much more genui ne and effective than is the case at present. since the small sector's industrial development and human resource development are k ey elements for achieving significant growth in Pakistan's economy and mos t of the small units are located and emerging in the Punjab and NWFP axis, it is logical that the apex organisation FPCCI representing the industrial and c ommercial interests be located in a more central and convenient location s uch as Islamabad than Karachi.

Shahid Rashid Butt pointed out that in view of the circumstances expl ained the move for the shifting of FPCCI headquarters to Islamabad should be initiated by the Ministry of Commerce by an amendment to the existing constitution and articles of association of FPCCI charter, which originat ed with the Directorate of Trade Organisations (DTO) under the Ministry of commerce. As far as FPCCI is concerned, Butt mentioned that there exists a resolution of its managing committee passed at its meeting held in Pesha war in November-December 1994 in favour of shifting FPCCI's headquarter of fice to Islamabad, although some vested interests in FPCCI's hierarchy hav e stalled this move.-APP