Karachi: Malik Khuda Bakhsh, a core committee member of the United Business Group (UBG) and convener of the FPCCI Energy Committee, as well as an expert in petroleum and CNG, has expressed support for FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh’s call for the government to take immediate steps to restore law and order and business operations in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and surrounding areas. He stated that business conditions in the country are already unfavorable, and daily disruptions are causing billions of rupees in losses nationwide.
He emphasized that whenever economic conditions begin to show signs of improvement, political instability is introduced, adversely affecting not only local business operations but also deterring foreign investors from coming to Pakistan. Malik Khuda Bakhsh reiterated that UBG patron-in-chief and business community leader S.M. Tanveer has repeatedly drawn the government’s attention to the fact that political conflicts and disruptions deeply concern traders and industrialists, especially small business owners who are worried about their shrinking operations.
He highlighted that the deteriorating law and order situation in Islamabad is negatively impacting foreign investment. The business community will fully support any measures taken by the government to bring improvement, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Additionally, he noted that all petrol pumps in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, and surrounding areas are shut, and fuel supply is nearly halted, resulting in significant financial losses for pump owners. The worsening law and order situation has also disrupted the supply of raw materials, shut down factories, and decreased government revenue due to business closures. The suspension of transportation has further paralyzed import and export activities.