MULTAN, The newly-elected office bearers of the Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), including president Malik Asrar Ahmed Awan and vice-president Khawaja Muhammad Farooq, and Syeda Sarwat Zahra (woman entrepreneur seat) spelt out their priorities for the coming year at the annual general meeting held here today. The meeting was presided over by the out going President Khawaja Jalaluddin Roomi and election commissioners Shahid Naseem Khokhar.Jalaludion roomi said that inflation, dearness, Terrorism, price-hike and utility tariff had badly hit the trade and industrial activities in South Punjab.Similarly farmer community also suffered losses due to low per acre yield.Inspite of these bottlenecks ,we have served the industry and agriculture in better way and highlighted their problems at national level through media to gret redress them.Roomi hailed the Government's policies for the development of trade, industry and agriculture,He also eulogised the RLNG policy which had overcome the energy crisis.Similarly Metro Bus project, OrangeLine Train Service , issuance of tax-refunds,Motorway, establishment of Universities in Multan i.e University of Health Sciences, University of Engineering and Technology, Agricultural University, Women University, CPEC related projects . He paid rich tributes to martyrs of Armed forces who laid down their lives for the cause of country and eliminated the terrorists .He also highlighted the cultural and literary activities through Multan Chamber and promotion of Blue pottery,Glass cut work, Camel bone workm, camel skin work etc. Anm exhibition of Anwar Jamal's painting, Poetry collection of Munazza Batool, Memorial seminar with the collaboration of Lala Sehrai Foundation, Mushaira, opening of Dewan-i-Mumtaz Atha. He presented his 12-pages achievements during a year.The MCCI president Malik Asrar Ahmed Awan said he would focus on ongoing severe energy crisis, improving the exports, and take measures to save our economy from international recession, playing a role of bridge between the trading community and the policy makers and improvement of infrastructure in the South Punjab in general and Multan in particular.He said that he would serve the business community with the consent of colleagues in the business and industry and he also announced the formation of an economic advisory committee comprising leading businessmen and former presidents of the MCCI for the guidance of the government to achieve the economic revival in the shortest possible time.Calling for making the forms for income tax-returns simple and understandable for all and these must be published in Urdu language as per instructions of Supreme Court of Pakistan. To increase production, he said, the business community would have to spend its energies in enhancing exports, particularly non-traditional items. Senior Vice President Bakhtawar Tanvir Sheikh said the Government should ensure uninterrupted power supply to the industry round the clock during the shut-down of natural gas. He said the simplification of taxes would also be on his priority list. He said the main objective of the MCCI was to promote trade and industry and all available resources would be utilized for the economic turnaround as the economic meltdown had started taking its heavy toll.He said frequent market visits and a consistent liaison with the fellow businessmen would be the cornerstone of the working of the newly-elected office-bearers of the MCCI. Vice President Sheikh Fazal Elahi said that he would try his utmost to promote the export of products of southern Punjab.He would focus on the problems faced by the cottage industry, agriculture sector which is a backbone of country's economy and we can earn more than one billion dollars by exporting fresh fruits and vegetables to European Union, United States and other countries. Ms.Sidra Khalid Cheema said that she would particularly focus on the promotion of women entrepreneurship in the country. Outgoing MCCI president Fareed Mughis Sheikh presented a detailed report of his performance and achievement during the year. He said that MCCI trade bulletin was relaunched, Research & Development cell was established in the chamber, MCCI joined virtual University Intern ship programme and National Internship programme, ANational Agricultural Conferencewas organized to highlight the problems confronted by the farmers, special measures were taken for the promotion of arts and crafts and a national Painting exhibition was held in the chamber. President of Pakistan, Governor Punjab, Federal Minister Ministers for Finance, Commerce. Railway, Petroleum,. National Food Security, Chief Executive TDAP, Chairman FBR,President FPCCI, Banking Ombudsman, and many others visited Multan chamber during his tenure. Earlier, the election commission formally announced names of winners from the corporate, associate class and one reserved seat for women.At the end of the annual general meeting, the newly-elected office-bearers assumed the charge of their offices.The annual General meeting was attended by former Presidents ,SVPs, VPS and senior members.
