Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) President Farooq Yousaf Sheikh called for a joint and sustained effort by the business community and legal fraternity to address the city’s development challenges and secure better civic, health, educational and judicial facilities for its rapidly growing population.
FCCI, DBA for joining hands for Faisalabad’s integrated development
FAISALABAD, Sep 28 (APP): Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) President Farooq Yousaf Sheikh called for a joint and sustained effort by the business community and legal fraternity to address the city’s development challenges and secure better civic, health, educational and judicial facilities for its rapidly growing population.
He was addressing a delegation of District Bar Association (DBA) Faisalabad which visited FCCI here on Monday led by President Mian Tariq Mahmood.
Farooq Yousaf Sheikh said that FCCI and District Bar Association should establish stronger coordination and work together for comprehensive, organized and integrated development of Faisalabad.
He said that Faisalabad chamber had around 22,000 members while 128 trade organizations were affiliated with it, making it an important platform for representing the business community as well as raising broader civic issues confronting the city.
He said that Faisalabad was once primarily identified with the textile sector, but its industrial base had now diversified significantly, with automobile, pharmaceutical, can, confectionery, food and dairy sectors also contributing to the city’s economic activity.
Referring to the textile sector, he said that Faisalabad accounted for around 57 percent of Pakistan’s textile exports while its contribution to the national economy was more than 20 percent.
The FCCI President said the chamber’s fundamental responsibility was to highlight the problems faced by business community before the government and pursue their resolution, but it had gradually evolved into a broader voice for the city’s population
of around 10 million.
He said that Faisalabad contributed substantially to the national exchequer through taxes and other revenues, but still faced shortages of basic civic facilities.
He appreciated the Punjab government for taking steps to improve infrastructure of the city in response to FCCI’s demands but stressed that considerable work was still required in the health and education sectors.
Farooq Yousaf Sheikh said that FCCI had also demanded direct international flight operations from Faisalabad besides Hajj flights which had subsequently been launched.
However, he said the longstanding demand for an international-standard airport had yet to be addressed.
He said that Faisalabad belonged to all its residents and its development could not be achieved without collective efforts by all stakeholders.
Highlighting the role of legal fraternity, he termed the District Bar an important institution for ensuring access to justice and said that efforts should be renewed for establishing Lahore High Court bench in Faisalabad so that residents could have access to affordable
and expeditious justice closer to their homes.
DBA President Mian Tariq Mahmood thanked the FCCI president for initiating efforts to strengthen institutional contacts between the chamber and the bar.
He said that FCCI had rendered valuable services not only for resolving citizens’ problems but also for improving basic civic facilities in the city.
He said that Faisalabad was making a substantial contribution to national revenues but it was not receiving its due share in terms of development and public facilities.
He said that this disparity was among the reasons behind growing discussions about the creation of smaller provinces. If any proposal emerged to include Faisalabad in another proposed province, the District Bar Association would join hands with FCCI to register a strong protest, he added.
Former FCCI President Rana Muhammad Sikandar Azam Khan, DBA Vice President Rana Arshad, Ali Ramey and Barrister Muhammad Danish also addressed the gathering and highlighted various issues concerning the city and its business and legal communities.
FCCI Senior Vice President Naveed Akram Sheikh thanked the visiting delegation for attending the event.
Later, FCCI President Farooq Yousaf Sheikh presented an honorary shield to Mian Tariq Mahmood in recognition of his visit and strengthening of institutional liaison between the two organizations.
FCCI Vice President Engineer Asim Munir and a large number of lawyers were also present on the occasion.
