KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the export of Bangladesh has reached $40 billion but we have been stuck up at $25 billion because our policies are not business friendly.

“I am going to constitute a working group with industrialists so that their problems could be solved in consultation with them.” This he said on Tuesday while speaking at a reception he had hosted for the members Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) and other leading businessmen here at CM House. Around 180 leading industrialists, including SM Muneer, Dr Ikhtiar Baig, Zubair Tufail, Khalid Tawab, Dr Noman Idress Butt, Hanif Gohar, Ishtiaq Baig, Zahid Iqbal Chaudhry and various others.

The chief minister said that Pakistan used to export urea but today the country was facing its acute shortage which would badly affect our rabi crops. “I am surprised that we are faced with a shortage of gas, wheat, and sugar which we were exporting,” he lamented and concluded that it was the result of our defective policies.

Mr Shah said that the industrialists and other business community members were the backbone of this country. “Your [businessmen’s) contribution in the national economy has proved to be a propelling wheel to run the country,” he said and added he was going to notify a working group of businessmen with him at CM House to discuss and resolve their issues with mutual consultation.

The CM said that he has directed Minister Industries and Minister Revenue to start removing encroachments, if any, from the industrial areas of the province. “We would discuss in our cabinet to explore ways and means to reduce the price of the industrial plots being developed in new industrial zones,” he said and added his government would resolve the issues of water shortage, gas and electricity at industrial areas.

Shah urged businessmen to establish export-oriented industrial units so that national export could be enhanced. “We have to invest in the food processing industry, automobile, software industry, medicines and such other export-oriented goods,” he said. The chief minister extended good wishes for the contestants of the FPCCI forthcoming election. “I am sure Sindh will lead the FPCCI,” he hoped.

Earlier, leading industrialists SM Munir speaking on the occasion thanked the chief minister for his business friendly policies and approach. He also lauded Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who had met the members of the business community and wished to resolve their issues in the province.

Dr Ikhtiar Baig said that UBG was the largest business group of Pakistan of Trade and Industry having a strong presence in the chamber of commerce and trade associations of Pakistan. He hoped that the UBG would return in the FPCCI elections. Hanif Gohar and Dr Nauman Idress Butt also spoke on the occasion.