April 06, 2007	Friday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 17, 1428

ISLAMABAD, April 5: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Thursday asked the government to revise the trade ordinance-2006 to make it more business-friendly.

At a press conference here on Thursday, FPCCI standing committee chairman Tariq Sayeed appealed to the prime minister and the president to make further amendments to the ordinance.

He proposed a range of amendments, and said there should be no minimum number for existing chambers and associations; fee structure of Rs300,000 be abolished, existing chambers’ be issued licences, and reserved seats for some chambers be done away with.

The powers of the director-general should be curtailed, as he has been given authority to raid any premises. He said no distinction be made in trade bodies.

He said the law is over-regulated; the terms of various offices has been reduced which would drastically harm smooth functioning of trade bodies.

He said the prime minister has invited the managing committee of FPCCI to meet him on April 6 to deliberate on the proposed amendments. However, he said the meeting has been postponed. He said the commerce minister in a hurry to meet the standing committee on commerce on April 3, of which he is ex officio member.

He said the meeting of the standing committee was held in spite of the fact that only eight, out of 18 members, were present.

Even some of the members had requested for postponement of the meeting, but it was turned down, he said.

“I am of the considered opinion that he should have given us an opportunity to meet the standing committee before he could get his proposal through,” he added.

The commerce ministry should have shown some flexibility towards the point of view of trade bodies, but regrettably the ministry has not shown such flexibility, he said.