KARACHI: Businessmen and industrialists, while clearly avoiding in supporting any specific political party in general elections, say that they will cast their vote for a party whose policies are aimed at boosting industrialisation and agriculture sector.
They say that the detailed manifestos of every political party, issued recently, appear silent in raising voice on rapid industrialization and increasing local crop output of cash and political crops like wheat, cotton and rice.
The manifestos are studded with old slogans of political parties rather than some thing new focusing on the economic issues.
They think that the previous track records of two main political parties are enough for the businessmen to think in putting a mark of favour on the ballot paper. They are of the view that PML N and PPP are returning to the political scene after eight years but their manifestos do not reflect any renewed economic plans in putting the country on the development path especially on the industrialization and agriculture side.
Those who had read the headlines of manifesto in newspapers said that again parties are making tall claims for changing the future of Pakistan but what they had done in the past was enough for their exposure.
Many leaders avoided in giving outright support to a party or rejecting it in the general elections as they think why they come in limelight to face the music in future.
Dawn has tried to solicit views from the businessmen in which hardly any one of them have read the parties’ manifestos in details. Many had only gone through from the headlines in the newspaper or ticklers in the news channels. Some deliberately avoided responding despite repeated reminders by this scribe to the businessmen to have a look.
President Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI), Tanvir Ahmed Shaikh was reminded twice and every time he adopted dilly-dallying tactics thus saying that he is very busy.
President Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), Shamim Ahmed Shamsi said that the wordings in the parties’ manifestos had not sounded any radical change but they had touched the trade and economic issues to some extent.
As per past practice the business community people will support the candidate belonging to the same cast and creed (brotherly system) in this election, he said.
The businessmen are also thinking to fully support a candidate belonging to trade and industry irrespective of their party’s affiliation so that their voice can be heard loudly in the parliament.
Vice president FPCCI Zubair Tufail said the business community will support those whose policies are aimed at improving the country’s ailing economic health indicators.
The last eight years saw investment in banking, telecom and oil and gas sectors but no efforts had been made in encouraging industrialization, opening new job avenues and developing agriculture sector. I think hardly any new big industry had been set up in the last eight years, he said.
The manifestos of the political parties lack specific targets of achieving in industrialization and agriculture rather than highlighting general issues, Tufail said.
Chairman Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), Masood Naqi claimed that the business community has not been reading the manifestos. It is now carefully analyzing the past performances of the political parties and their achievements before going to the polling booth.
If two parties make a collision to form a government then the economic agenda will take the back seat, he said adding that one party government with small coalition will prove beneficial in focusing economic targets because it will also be sound government at the federal level.
However, Naqi said that parties manifestos’ were trumpeting old slogans like bread, clothe and house and included health and education in their slogans.
The manifestos lack any specific attention like fixing any targets as to how these goals would be achieved in first year and second year.
These parties have discussed some economic agendas but in a twisted and stereotype manners, he said that the coming political party in the power should ponder how to achieve various targets like increasing industrialization, reducing trade gap, improving literacy rate, generating employment, etc.
The manifestos may appeal the general public but these are actually politically- oriented papers to attract the common man, KATI chief said adding that manifestos do not mention any measures and strategies for practically achieving these objectives.
He added that the industries had not faced any problems of labor and social securities in the last few years besides the businessmen now openly talk about support to MQM for its contribution in city’s infrastructure.
On the contrary, chairman North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry (FBATI), Faraz Mirza said that businessmen will support MQM in Karachi and Sindh for their infrastructure development work, while PML-Q may get support of the business community as its manifesto is quite different from other.
