FPCCI’s UBG team to visit Karachi

ISLAMABAD: A 12-member delegation of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry’ s (FPCCI) United Business Group (UBG) left for Karachi on Saturday for marathon meetings with the business community, a statement said.

Talking to media here prior to the departure, UBG chairman Shahzad Ali Malik said they had already conducted two consultative meetings successfully, and nominated Atif Ikram as presidential and Arif Jeewa as senior vice president candidates.

The nominations were made purely on the recommendations of the group's 20 member core committee, he said.

He said that it was decided in a democratic manner that the 12 member UBG high level committee must visit Karachi for comprehensive discussion and deliberations for seeking the feedback of the business community about the prospective candidates.

Patron-in-chief of UBG SM Munir has hosted a dinner for the business community.

He said only potential and popular candidates who could conveniently sweep election would be finally selected.

He said only merit would prevail in the process of finalisation of the names of candidates, including women vice president.

The delegation would also meet various trade bodies and associations affiliated with FPCCI for taking them into confidence for the announcement of candidates, he mentioned.

‘Handicrafts sector needs support’

QUETTA: Pakistan Businesses Forum (PBF) Balochistan chapter chairman Engineer Daroo Khan Achakzai on Saturday said handicrafts sector in the province needed govt’s support to flourish.

Talking to a delegation of Chaman Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said locally made handicrafts were in great demand in the international market, which could help improve the lives of many rural people.

Achakzai said the sector was directly linked with skilled women in the province, and its promotion would result in poverty reduction and women empowerment.

He said handicrafts were once a major source of livelihood for millions of people, but rising cost of inputs, difficult access to credit, and poor marketing network, had brought the industry to its knees.

Low prices, lack of proper marketing, want of exhibition centers, discouraging behaviour of the bureaucracy, and rising costs of business were some reasons behind its decline, he added.