FPCCI, KCCI disagreement on strike ask on Saturday

Islamabad:

Talks between the government and the Pakistani Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) have reached a positive note on Friday, demanding the postponement of the national strike originally scheduled for Saturday.

However, the Chamber of Commerce and the Karachi Industry (KCCI) maintained its appeal for a strike, reporting unresolved concerns about the funding law of 2025.

A special committee was set up to address the complaints of traders on the controversial law on funding. The Commission, chaired by the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Industries, Haroon Akhtar, was convened with representatives from various Chambers of Commerce to discuss the amendments to the law.

The negotiations have seen progress, with consensus achieved in various modifications. Among the most remarkable changes was the decision to abolish clause 9 of the law, which was a key point of conflict for traders. A proposal was also submitted to amend Article 37A, with the government agreeing to review it further.

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Despite these developments, KCCI President Jawed Bilwani expressed that while their demands were largely accepted, no written reassurance was given. “We have consulted everyone. We are willing to escalate the strike in one or two days a week or even a whole week,” he warned, keeping the call for a strike in Karachi.

Bilwani added that businesses across the karachi will remain closed the next day, as KCCI continues to stand firmly on the issue. He also noted that the Chambers in Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Peshawar and other cities also participated in the strike, reporting broad support from the business community.

On the contrary, the FPCCI, led by Atif Ikram Sheikh, has reached an agreement with the government with a national strike. He thanked the authorities for their serious commitment and expressed hope that the prime minister would approve the proposed amendments.

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“We appreciate the seriousness shown by the authorities when listening to our concerns,” he said, adding, “the FPCCI is not seeking a confrontation, our preference is to resolve issues through dialogue.”

A four -member committee, including two officials of the Federal Revenue Council (FBB), one from the FPCCI and one from the affected industry sector, will be formed to handle any other issues and to ensure a proper complaint restoration mechanism.

While FPCCI has agreed to stop the strike at national level, Sheikh confirmed that isolated protests may take place in some cities, but complete shutdown has been avoided. “The business community throughout Pakistan is with us and the government is committed to dealing with our concerns through dialogue,” he concluded.