HYDERABAD, March 3: The chairman of Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution, Brig (rtd) Akhtar Zamin, has said that marked improvement has been witnessed in the performance of national institutions during the tenure of President Gen Pervez Musharraf.

He was speaking to members of the Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industries here on Thursday.

He claimed that facilities given to traders and industrialists by the Musharraf government were unparalleled in the history of Pakistan.

He said that no government in the world could have given 100 per cent employment without the active cooperation of the private sector.

He stressed the need for cooperation between industrialists and the EOBI to remove bottlenecks in the interest of industrial development.

He said that efforts would be made to minimise documentation and computerise the entire EOBI system.

Referring to the chamber’s suggestion about issuing the NICs to workers, he said that Nadra would be requested to visit each industrial unit to issue the NICs.

About the payment of pensions to the retired workers, the EOBI chairman said that he was not satisfied with the performance of the UBL and, therefore, some other bank would be designated to do the job.

He pointed out that it was essential for the sick industrial units which had been closed to inform the EOBI. He, however, said that efforts would be made to provide necessary facilities to the sick units.

He agreed with the chamber that the benefit of raising workers’ contribution from Rs20 to Rs30 should go to workers.

Earlier, HCCI president Masood Pervez in his welcome address underlined the problems of the industry vis-à-vis the EOBI.