AsiaNet-Pakistan Premier Editorial Content and Press Release Distribution Service
Islamabad, October 25, 2012 (PPI-OT): Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) organized a roundtable, titled “Role of Private Sector in Combating Corruption” in collaboration with Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). Representatives of various organizations were also present on the occasion.
In his keynote address, Mr. Moin Fudda Country Director CIPE highlighted the role of CIPE in Pakistan and said that Pakistan’s private sector is the major victim of corruption as billion of dollars were siphoned out of economy.
He said that corruption discourages youth to enter in entrepreneurship career. He said that Chambers and associations are the key players in this anti-corruption initiative. Business Associations need to create awareness about ethical business as well as pro-reform parliamentarian should be engaged to raise this issue on regular basis at all relevant forums, he maintained.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr.Zafar Bakhtawari, President ICCI said that corruption retards the pace of economic development and growth, discourages investment and entrepreneurship, causes low productivity, promotes inequality and adversely affects the overall wellbeing of the people.
He said that Corruption in government spending leads to serious reduction in impact of development programs and results in increase in cost of maintenance of public assets and undermines the rule of law and damages government legitimacy.
ICCI President said that one remedy to reducing corruption is the induction of private sector representatives in board of directors of local administrations and policy making bodies. He said that corruption has also turned several state owned entities like PIA, WAPDA, Railways and Pakistan Steel Mills into huge loss-making organizations due to which these entities are costing the national exchequer billions of rupees annually. The only feasible method of turning around these organizations and making them profitable is to privatize them by handing over their management to private sector professionals, he added.
Mr.Andrew Wilson, Regional director, Eastern Europe and Eurasia CIPE emphasized on institution building, ethical practices and enforcement of anti-bribery law and said corporate governance is an important anti-corruption tool.
Mr.Muhammad Ali, Chairman, Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) said that in order to reduce corruption, Public Sector Enterprises should be privatized. He said that implementation of a right set of legislation is also vital for reducing corruption along with practicing the system of good governance and documentation, better supervision, transparency and accountability.
Mr.Olaf Kellerhoff, Resident Representative, Friedrich Nauman Stiftung Fur Diefreheit gave a detailed presentation on different aspects of corruption and elaborated various regulatory measures to remove corruption from society. He said that through implementing proper rule of law, improving transparency, promoting privatization and adopting Transparency International tool kit the issue of corruption could be addressed.
For more information, contact:
Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Chamber House, Aiwan-e-Sanat-o-Tijarat Road,
Mauve Area, G-8/1,
Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +9251 225 0526 and 225 3145
Fax: +9251 225 2950
Email: icci@brain.net.pk
Website: www.icci.com.pk