LAHORE : January 20,2023: The economic meltdown has left every sector of Pakistan economy and every Pakistani high and dry as the on-going economic crisis is posing serious threat to very survival of the country which otherwise is blessed with unprecedented potential and natural resources .
Pakistan’s on-going economic crisis is outcome of mismanagement and misdirected priorities . Today every businessman , industrialist, professional and trade bodies leader is groping in the darkness to find those reasons which pushed Pakistan into these dark times.
NEWSMAN spoke to Mr Iftikhar Ali Malik , a Pakistan’s top businessman and legend in Pakistan’s business community .
Mr Iftikhar Ali Malik has been leading Pakistan’s business community for the last four and half decades . He , as business leader, is a pioneer in many ways. He guided Pakistan to form a SAARC chamber to increase connectivity among regional countries to increase their mutual trade and take benefits from each others achievements in the industrial sector . Mr Malik had been president of Lahore Chamber of Commerce , president FPCCI and president SAARC Chamber of Commerce . He is among those Pakistani top businessmen whose names figured in ‘Who is Who”.
Mr Iftikhar Ali Malik also stands tall among business community for his social work . His family has done great service to Pakistan in social sector by building and running two hospitals in Lahore under Mumtaz Trust Hospital where patients get best treatment facilities without any charges.
Mr Iftikhar Ali Malik is an optimistic person by nature and he always speaks of taking challenges upfront and moving forward . He is a man behind building many institutions . He at the same time is running his family businesses successfully.
Mr Iftikhar Ali Malik spoke out his heart on today ‘s Pakistan’s bad times in his exclusive talk with NEWSMAN. He said ” Its heart choking that Pakistan is facing such a bad time today when its facing worst economic crisis and noone is trusting in it for its turn around”.
Mr Malik said Pakistan is blessed with unique potential . It has all seasons, vast agro based economy, very talented people and huge untapped natural resources and one can hardly believe that a country with such huge resources is reeling under a worse economic crisis. He added that his heart bleeds when he sees Pakistan in such a bad time of its history .
Mr Iftikhar Malik said today businesses have come to stand still in Pakistan and industrial activities have come to a grinding halt and in such a situation , International Monetary Fund (IMF) is pressurising Pakistan for more taxes on businesses and increase in power and oil prices .
He questioned how come Pakistan can afford having more burden on its people by accepting IMF terms blindly and make the people’s lives miserable ?.
Mr Iftikhar Ali Malik recalled his owned struggle and said ” I started my journey as trade leader in 1978 and during all these years served Pakistan as a trade leader and delivered good to Pakistan’. Mr Malik argued that as a business leader, he built many institutions and at the same time introduced young leadership of the business community which is struggling to help Pakistan overcome its economic woes. He said the political leadership should follow our model and shun their political difference and sit together to steer Pakistan out of current economic crisis.
