LAHORE: The Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Friday urged the businessmen to focus on environmental standards to win big EU market.
“A well designed campaign to create awareness among the masses and businessmen could help reduce pollution which are coming in the way of Pakistani exports.”
While talking to a delegation of businessmen here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the LCCI president Ijaz A. Mumtaz said that that “we would have to remove environmental complaints if we want to do business with the rest of the world.”
He said the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry was making all out efforts to equip its member with the latest technologies through language & web courses, workshops and seminars so that they could be able to get a respectable place in the world market.
He said that all stakeholders would have to look more vigorously into all environment related issues.
“Today, when the entire scenario has been changed and world has become a global village, environmental issues could easily demolish the economy of any country because all major countries including European Union have set very strict environmental standards and are reluctant to import goods, specially food, from countries facing the environmental problems”, Ijaz A. Mumtaz said.
He said that country cannot afford to lose European Union which is one of the biggest markets for the Pakistani merchandise.
He said that Pakistan is already facing various challenges and it cannot afford any untoward situation.
He emphasized to launch a campaign to create awareness amongst the people as environmental issues can cause heavy damage to the national economy and exports to the European Union.
The LCCI President said that deforestation is also one of the biggest reasons of environmental issues in Pakistan as they not only control the pollution but also control the temperature. He said that deforestation in Pakistan has caused a rapid rise in the pollution level and distortion of natural order.
Ijaz A. Mumtaz said that fast changing global economic scenario has provided us an opportunity to increase our exports to the desired levels but the desired goal cannot be achieved without having compliance with the international environmental standards.
He said that environmental issues could be handled with a positive approach and through public-private partnership. He said that government and private sector would have to join hands to tackle the environment related issues.
