PESHAWAR
Advisor to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development (OP&HRD), Muhammad Ayub Afridi assured the businessmen to resolve that to resolve their issues relating to Employees Old Age Benefit Institute (EOBI) and Working Welfare Board, saying that incumbent government is keenly taking pragmatic steps to woo foreign investments in country.
He was speaking to members of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry during a meeting chaired by the SCCI president Hasnain Khurshid Ahmad here at the Chamber’s House on Saturday.
On the occasion, the chamber’s senior vice president Imran Khan Mohmand, former presidents Malik Niaz Ahmad, Riaz Arshad, Zahidullah Shinwari, Faiz Muhammad Faizi, Director General EOBI Islamabad Zulfiqar Ali, Director/Regional Head Ashfaq Muhmood, executive members Naeem Qasmi, Waqar Ahmad, S Minhajuddin, former senior vice president Shuja Muhammad, and Ishtiaq Muhammad, Aqib Ismail, Asim Shehzad, Wahid Arif Awan, Farman,, Shah Fahad, Muhammad Shoaib, industrialists and traders were present in the meeting.
Both sides during the meeting agreed to form a joint committee to sort out workable and viable solutions to issues pertaining to EOBI and Workers Welfare Board as well as Overseas Pakistanis Investors. The body will consist of representatives from relevant government departments and members of the Sarhad chamber.
Before beginning of the meeting, the participants offered prayers all those who had been martyred in yesterday’s suicide blast in Peshawar and expressed heartfelt condolences and sympathy with the beavered family. The house on the occasion, also condemned the Peshawar blast.
Ayub Afridi said the relevant laws had been amended to bound courts/legal forums to decide cases regarding EOBI and WWB within a period of 180 days. He emphasized that the incumbent government is keen to resolve issues of investors and overseas Pakistani issues.
The PM’s aide informed that the government has been sanctioned to provide Rs300,000/- as interest-free loans to overseas Pakistanis. He stressed the need for joint efforts of relevant institutions and chambers to sort out solutions to the issues of the business community that would also remove trust deficit and create friendly-environment between them.
The PM advisor disclosed that a comprehensive system/mechanism would be introduced very shortly through which data of factories employees/workers would be digitized in order to resolve their issues promptly, especially registration on one system.
Ayub Afridi said the incumbent government had honored overseas Pakistanis with awards and given due status and respect, because they have made enormous contributions in the development of the national economy.
In order to avoid unnecessary inquiries, arrests, litigation/court cases, the PM’s aide stressed a close collaboration between government relevant departments, business community and stakeholders to develop harmony among them and to resolve issues with mutual consensus and consultation.
Hasnain Khurshid earlier in his inaugural speech highlighted the businessmen issues EOBI and Workers Welfare Board and demanded the uniform system/rates should be enforced regarding contribution Workers Welfare Fund for factories employees/workers.
On the occasion, he raised the issues of growing lawlessness and poor security arrangements in Industrial Estate Hayatabad Peshawar.
The SCCI chief demanded of the government to announce a fresh special fiscal relief package for terrorism and Covid-19 affected business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Malik Niaz Ahmad, Zahidullah Shinwari, Riaz Arshad and others also spoke on the occasion and pointed out a number of issues relating to EOBI and Workers Welfare Board and gave proposals for their amicable resolution.
