Country passing through a critical phase: Provincial Minister

Karachi, June 30, 2018 (PPI-OT): Punjab Minister for Agriculture, Food and Planning and Development Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan on Saturday said the country is passing through a critical phase, therefore, the business community should play its positive role. The future of the business community is tied to the country while the future of Pakistan is linked to the entrepreneurs, he said.

Speaking to the business community at FPCCI Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan said that the nation in habit of spending more than they can earn have no future. Acting President FPCCI Atif Ikram Sheikh, VP Karim Aziz Malik, former SVP Amir Atta Bajwa, and other business leaders including Mian Shaukat Masood, Zahid Maqbool, and Amna Malik were also present on the occasion.

The minister said that tax culture must be improved for which the collectors, as well as taxpayers, will have to realise their responsibilities, change their attitude and stop harassing taxpayers. He said that reduction in tax rate is necessary to improve tax culture and collections adding that many countries introduce tax amnesty schemes but its success depends on the motives.

Sardar Tanveer Ilyas said that overseas Pakistanis should be considered an asset, they should be respected and their issues should be resolved who in turn can help Pakistan overcome many problems. He noted that agricultural land in Punjab is more fertile than that of Indian Punjab but it is way behind in production which is frustrating. There are complaints about the quality of imported seed for which Seed Corporation has been issued directives, he said adding that payment to the growers of sugar cane has been ensured through intervention.

At the occasion, the business leaders including Atif Ikram Sheikh and Kariz Aziz Malik assured the minister of their full support and informed him about certain issues including substandard seed of cotton and rice and unabated imports of the oilseed. They demanded new industrial estate in Islamabad and expressed their concerns about scarcity of water in the country.

For more information, contact:
Secretary General
Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI)
B-1, Federation House, Main Clifton Road,
Shahra-e-Firdousi, Karachi-75600, Pakistan
Tel: +92-21-35873691, 93-94
Fax: +92-21-35874332
Email: info@fpcci.com.pk
URL: www.fpcci.com.pk