April 07, 2007	Saturday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 18, 1428

KARACHI, April 6: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz’s meeting with the leadership of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry on Friday in Islamabad to hear their complaints and grievances on the new Trade Organisations Ordinance-2006 (TOO 2006) has been put off indefinitely.

The prime minister is now expected to visit the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Monday where he may express his views on the on-going controversy on the TOO 2006.

From the last day of the year 2006 when the TOO was enforced, the business leadership is sharply divided.

The leadership of Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry claims to have pressured the government for enforcing the new law, which according to them would eliminate bogus chambers and fake trade associations and eventually the leadership of apex trade body.

The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry expressed its resentment on the new law when on March 24 its 100-member managing committee is said to have rejected with one voice the new TOO and its rules.

The managing committee also decided not to seek a fresh licence for the FPCCI and its affiliate chambers and trade associations till necessary amendments are made in the TOO 2006 and its rules.

The FPCCI leadership held a meeting with the prime minister, the commerce minister and the law minister on March 26 to discuss the new law.

According to FPCCI leadership, they were advised to submit their proposals on amendments in the law and rules by March 31.

On Friday, the FPCCI leadership was scheduled to discuss the proposed amendments in the TOO 2006 and its rules with the PM, but by putting off the meeting indefinitely, the government has given the signal of its hostility towards the FPCCI leadership.

Another reason of frustration and disappointment in the FPCCI leadership is the approval of the TOO 2006 by the standing committee of the National Assembly on April 3.

“Only eight, out of 18 members of the standing committee, attended the meeting,’’ alleged Tariq Sayeed, the leader of the FPCCI group, in a statement.

Reports emerging from government sources in Islamabad, the business leadership of Karachi Chamber and from those who are with the apex trade body -- the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry -- a showdown will be imminent in next few months after the expiry of last date for submitting applications to get new licences.

Tariq Sayeed and the hostile and aggressive leadership of the FPCCI is now doing hectic lobbying with politicians, including those in the government.

As and when the TOO 2006 comes up for discussion and debate in National Assembly, it is bound to generate a lot of heat.

The businessmen plan to show their resentment against the law by putting banners and even business shutdown on the day when TOO 2006 will be debated in the National Assembly.

Following the enforcement of TOO 2006 and its rules after a fortnight, the licences of all existing chambers and trade associations were cancelled.

Each of these chambers and trade associations were asked to file application by April 15 now reportedly extended up to May 15 to seek a fresh licence.

While the 100-member managing committee of the FPCCI is reported to have refused with one voice to seek fresh licence for the apex trade body and its affiliate chambers and trade associations, the KCCI and trade associations in Karachi have started paper-work to file applications for seeking a fresh licence. “We will file our application for a fresh licence after May 1, 2006,’’ disclosed Majyd Aziz, president, Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

According to his information, about half a dozen trade associations in and around Karachi are engaged in documentation processing for filing the application for licence.

But under the new system proposed in TOO 2006, every district in the country will have only one chamber and there is no provision for a town association with chamber in one district. This makes about half a dozen trade associations redundant.

“In case this happens, each of these trade associations will come under the umbrella of the KCCI,’’ Majyd Aziz said. He said all the property and assets and members will come under the domain of the KCCI.

Each of these associations’ office can then be declared KCCI liaison office with a nominated team of business leaders to manage the affairs of that area.

“Let the TOO 2006 be implemented with all its rules before we take up the amendment in law and rules issue,’’ Majyd Aziz said on Friday after hearing that the PM had put off his meeting with the FPCCI leaders.

“No law is perfect and no rules are final,’’ he added to point out that weaker points in the TOO would emerge in the implementation when such issues can be taken up with the consent of entire business leadership.

Tariq Sayeed’s contention is that the commerce ministry has issued 181 licences to chambers and trade associations since 1959.

Of these, 25 licences were issued when present government took over in 1999. “Are all these chambers and associations bogus,’’ he questions?