SIEA Kohat Road delegation meets SCCI President Junaid Altaf, informing him about industry issues
PESHAWAR
Owners of small factories expressed grave concern over abrupt exorbitant increase in services charges by the Small Industrial Development Board, unwarranted actions of ESSI and EOBI and other government institutions.
These issues were taken during a meeting of a delegation of Small Industrial Estate Association (SIEA) Kohat Road led by its president Wahid Arif Awan with President of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Junaid Altaf here at the chamber house.
Delegation consisted on the pattern in chief of the association and former president SCCI Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervez, senior vice president Muhammad Sohail, former senior vice president Imran Khan Mohmand, along with Muhammad Shakar, Shakeel Ahmad, Insaf Shah, Noor Muhammad, Zahid Hussain. Nadeem Masood, Jamshid Ahmad, Adnan Kiramat and Arbab Munsaf and small manufacturers associated with diverse sectors.
During the meeting, SCCI senior vice president Muhammad Nadeem, vice president Sabir Ahmad Bangash, member of the chamber’ executive member Muhammad Ashfaq, Rashid Iqbal Siddiqui, Fahad Amin and others were also present.
Meeting discussed small industrialists, who established their units in Industrial Estate Kohat Road, mostly relating to excessive increase in services rated charging by SIDB, unnecessary actions of ESSI, EOBI, Labour and Environment departments, and other attached provincial authorities.
The participants stated the anti-industry steps are discouraging investment and growth and called upon the government and relevant departments to adopt business-friendly policies and take pragmatic steps for ease of doing business, facilitation and special incentives to boost the investment and create more employment opportunities in the province.
SCCI president Junaid Altaf apprised the meeting regarding future plans and business and industry-promotion initiatives.
He assured the small manufacturers to take up the issues with federal and provincial governments, and relevant authorities which had come under-discussion during the sitting and would make complete efforts to resolve them on priority basis.
We want business and industrial growth but there are a host of challenges and issues which need to be addressed by joint mechanism and efforts, Junaid Altaf asserted.
SCCI chief sought a 15-year long term policy, loans for SMEs development from commercial banks especially through BoK and NBP for more than 10 to 15 years at lowest markup rate.
He revealed negotiations and discussions underway with the government and the banks to get maximum relief for the business community.
Junaid Altaf also disclosed SCCI is going to conduct a comprehensive survey of various businesses, industry and other multiple sectors, aimed at getting their input for trade and commercial activities growth and address the community issues by effectively taking up with relevant authorities at central and provincial level.
Earlier, the delegation of the Small Industrial Estate Association Kohat Road Peshawar congratulated the newly elected President Junaid Altaf, Senior Vice president Muhammad Nadeem and Vice president Sabir Ahmad Bangash for taking charge of their respective offices and expressed hope that they will discharge all energies for betterment of business community and address their issues on priority basis.
