KARACHI, Jan 24: Economic diplomacy and export promotion are being practiced with greater zeal and vigour at the highest level of the government.
But the actual players of the game--the businessmen--are found wanting in their matching performance and in fact are being accused of remaining somewhat oblivious and inert.
President Pervez Musharraf has visited many countries during last four years, the latest being to the USA, England, France, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. He performed well as his country's top salesman.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz too is fully exploiting his bankers' potential of persuasion and is in Brussels these days to plead for his country's increasing share in European Union market. The federal commerce minister Humayun Akhtar Khan, other cabinet ministers and top bureaucrats are making their respective contribution in these efforts.
But businessmen are not active even on their own forums. There are 112 bilateral trade and industry committees, 18 bilateral business councils and 14 bilateral economic cooperation committees and a joint chamber of commerce with India in the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
Except for two bilateral business councils, all other business councils and trade committees are just dead. The two active business councils are Pak-China Business Council headed by Mr Javed Ilyas and the other Pak-Turkey Business Council headed by Amjad Rafi.
No elections have been held in more than 100 bilateral trade committees for last several years. These committees have elected their chairmen some four or five years ago.
Many of these committees never held any meeting. There are business councils and trade committees of the FPCCI with the US, UK, France, Mexico, Brazil and Argentina. Each of these councils and committees has membership of 40 and more businessmen. Each businessman pays Rs3,000 to Rs2,000 membership fees.
After President Musharraf's high profile visit to all these countries a few businessmen did talk of convening the meeting of these business councils and trade committees for stock taking and as a follow-up exercise. But no such meeting of any business council or trade committee was ever held.
The US is Pakistan's single largest buyer of goods, absorbing products worth $3 billion a year. It offers prospects of increase in share. President Musharraf pleaded for getting more opportunities and relief in his meeting with President Bush on a holiday morning.
He also pleaded with same zeal his country's case for getting more share in European market during his meetings with leaders of England and France. Musharaf's team explored avenues of trade and economic cooperation with Brazil, Mexico and the Argentina.
A very small number of businessmen belonging to top business houses who went on their own in their individual capacities to supplement the government's efforts in Washington.
Back home at the FPCCI, the apex trade body, the businessmen were found dabbling in petty politics. None bothered to convene the bilateral business councils or the trade committees of these countries for a critical review, explore opportunities and draw up a programme for pushing forward the trade activities.
Hardly 10 to 12 top businessmen of big business houses are actively engaged in unending consultation with the businessmen on various policy matters. They do so in their individual capacity.
By virtue of their global exposure all these businessmen are relatively well versed with market conditions and business regulations and continue to give their input to the government. But they remain detached from the mass bulk of businessmen.
"Business politics is not our cup of tea," a top businessmen and a big name in textile export who owns three textile mills one being integrated told Dawn. "Majority of the businessmen are importers and they have not much interest in acquiring export marketing skills and modern production techniques," he said.
There is an innovation in marketing and production virtually everyday and hence no time for chamber politics. But the Pak-China Business Council is said to be holding regular meetings.
It responded quickly and on a very short notice to Prime Minister's call when he wanted a team of Pakistani businessmen to accompany him to Shanghai where an investment conference was held. The Council is now helping the Commerce Ministry in finalizing a Free Trade Agreement with China.
Bureaucrats in the Commerce ministry have pushed out businessmen from the corridors of the government offices. There are no export committees in the Export Promotion Bureau and the Export Promotion Council have just ceased to exist.
The advisory committees of the businessmen with finance, commerce, industry and other ministries are no more active. Doors of all these government offices are shut on the businessmen.
