LAHORE: The Businessmen Panel (BMP) for Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) nominated former Balochistan caretaker chief minister Alauddin Marri as presidential candidate, while Adnan Butt from Lahore Chamber for the slot of vice president Punjab (Chambers Class) and Muhammad Shoaib Khan will be the VP candidates for Capital Area for the upcoming polls of FPCCI which will be held on December 28 at Federation House, Karachi. This announcement was made by BMP Chairman Mian Anjum Nisar in a large gathering of the business community in a local hotel and said FPCCI elections are on way and this year “we have nominated a strong candidate for the top slot for the federation so that grievances of the Balochistan business community may be equally well taken care of after winning the elections. He said it is unfortunate that today, the FPCCI has regrettably distanced itself from its national duty of projecting Pakistan’s potential at international trade, investment and economic events. “All over the world, the responsibility of economic diplomacy and development has largely been shifted from governments to private sector institutions,” he said. The apex trade bodies used to promote economic diplomacy and it has become a global trend to utilise the strength and capacity of such private sector representative bodies for economic and political diplomacy. “Consequently, Pakistan through FPCCI has failed to raise its voice and advocate its economic policies at the international platforms,” he added. He believed in naya Pakistan, FPCCI should learn from its counterpart organisation Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry which has played a significant role in the success of Indian foreign policy as well as used its vital role in Indian Planning Commission. However the ruling group of the apex trade body did a serious blunders and they put aside the responsibilities of the apex trade body but protect their own interests and always highlight the slogan of, “sab accha hai” in front of the government which was a joke and every year they made false commitments in front of the business community only to win the elections and nothing else. BMP Presidential Candidate Alauddin Marri said, “I am obliged that the confidence and trust which the leadership reposed on me. I ensure that after winning the FPCCI elections, my doors are open for all EC and GB members of the FPCCI as well as for all trade bodies. You will see the naya FPCCI from January onwards, as I have an experience to work with the government and know the problems of our industries.” He said our economy is in a bad shape and we have to work with the government side by side to put our economy on track. He assured to visit all chambers and put his agenda in front of them so that we may re-flourish the sanctity of the FPCCI which was badly down in the last four years. “I know it’s a challenging task but with your support I will restructure the Federation on professional lines which is need for the country,” he maintained. BMP Senior Vice Chairman Mian Zahid Hussain said the business community is depressed by the lack lustre polices of the United Business Group. Their agenda is only to establish their own writ on the whelm of the affairs of the FPCCI. They are least interested why our business community was feeling isolated. BMP officials Zakria Usman, Sheikh Aslam, Ahmad Jawad, Chaudhry Zahid Hussain, Khawaja Shahzeb Akram, Khurram Syed, Naveed Jan Baloch, Senator Ghulam Ali, Riaz Khattak, Ghulam Farooq, Saqib Fayyaz Magoon, Sultan Rahman, Shaukat Ahmed and others also attended the event. Published in Daily Times, November 17th 2018.