FPCCI’s presidential candidate, Atif Ikram Sheikh, said on Sunday that millions of people are leaving the country for employment abroad because Pakistan has almost no opportunities due to the economic downturn. He said workers, scientists, engineers, and IT experts are leaving the country due to desperation, which has threatened its economy. 

Atif Ikram Sheikh, who has also served as VP FPCCI, Chairman PVMA and President ICCI, said in a statement today that no one will leave the country if they can get decent jobs in Pakistan. He informed that jobs can be created by promoting industrialisation, which has received little attention from authorities, due to which industrialists also turn to non-productive sectors. He said that import restrictions are hurting the economy, commodities are becoming expensive, and the dollar volatility is also preventing the market from stabilising, which needs to be controlled.

The business leader said that due to the strict measures of the caretaker government, the country had been saved from bankruptcy. However, we are still facing severe problems, and investors are shying away from Pakistan. 

Atif Ikram Sheikh said that many local and foreign companies need to get raw materials, while there are also difficulties in sending profits abroad, which has caused investment to stop.

The people need sustainable socio-economic development, human security, justice, health, education and other facilities because inflation is increasing continuously, but people’s income is not increasing, he said. 

People experiencing poverty, the working poor, and the salaried classes are all suffering more than any other class as their incomes have not moved in tandem with inflation nor with devaluation. 

The savings of the majority have eroded, and they are forced to see one shock after another, with an unending series of utility price hikes. 

Safeguarding people’s incomes is as necessary as the process of reforms and the gains of the elites.