ICCI demands interest free loans for youth to start business

0
119

ISLAMABAD : President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) Ahmed Hassan Moughal has called upon the government to provide interest free loans to youth for starting business for them.

The President ICCI said government should consider offering special incentives and dedicated space to young entrepreneurs for investing in CPEC Special Economic Zones so that youth could set up business ventures and industrial units in these Zones. He said government should make policies to foster youth entrepreneurship that would help in reducing unemployment and poverty from the country.

He was addressing a delegation of Youth Business Development Association of Pakistan (YBDAP) led by its President Muhammad Waqas Janjua which visited ICCI here on Thursday. Raja Shafqat Chairman, Arslan Siddique Senior Vice President, Bashir Raza Vice President and Taimoor Awan General Secretary of YBDAP were also in the delegation.

Ahmed Hassan Moughal said that 60 percent of our population was comprised of youth and government should create enabling environment to engage youth in entrepreneurial activities. He said if properly supported and guided by the government, youth could drive the country towards fast economic development and growth. He advised the delegation members to volunteer their services and work with ICCI on initiatives aimed at promoting young entrepreneurs in the region.

Speaking on the occasion, Senior Vice President ICCI Rafat Farid and Vice President Iftikhar Anwer Sethi said that young entrepreneurs were a great asset and future of Pakistan and they should focus on promoting Pakistani brands in foreign countries. They said young entrepreneurs should visit foreign countries with proper homework on target countries and products so that they could achieve meaningful results. The ICCI office bearers also shared their experience in business profession with the delegation members and advised them to work hard instead of looking to shortcuts for success in business field.

President YBDAP Muhammad Waqas Janjua said that the YBDAP was established to work for youth empowerment by creating opportunities for them in business field. He said that youth was the backbone of country and his Association was working to facilitate them in business ventures so that they could play productive role in the economic development of the nation. He said his Association would keep close liaison with ICCI for exploiting youth talent in the best interest of the country.

Raja Shafqat Chairman, Arslan Siddique Senior Vice President, Bashir Raza Vice President, Taimoor Awan General Secretary of YBDAP and others also spoke at the occasion and shared their ideas for promoting youth entrepreneurship. They reaffirmed that they would play role for promoting soft image of Pakistan at national and international level.