SCCI asks KP govt to announce special fiscal relief package for Covid-hit traders

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PESHAWAR
President, Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Hasnain Khurshid Ahmad has urged the provincial government by following its commitment to announce a comprehensive fiscal relief package for traders, which has been badly affected by Covid-19 restrictions.
He made this demand while chairing a meeting of traders here at the chamber house on Thursday.
The SCCI chief viewed the business community as the economic backbone of the country, which should be facilitated on priority basis. He credited the SCCI for taking business community problems with concerned authorities, being the second prime chamber of the country.
Hasnain Khushid expressed serious concern over harassing traders by officers of the Environment Protection Agency on the pretext of floating relevant rules.
He said the business community was not against the rules, but the harassment couldn’t be acceptable, which should be stopped.
The chamber president urged the EPA to formulate a policy for addressing the environmental issues by taking chamber and relevant stakeholders on board.
Hasnain Khurshid during the meeting announced his office as a complaint cell for the traders’ community. He said the business community has played a vital role in the economic development of the country, so the government should take serious measures to facilitate tax-payers at every level.
He said the SCCI is the only platform, which has raised traders’ issues effectively with government institutions and relevant authorities.
He said despite terrorism, extremism, coupled with Covid-19 restrictions, doing business in Khyber Paktunkhwa is not more than a ‘jehad’ [Holy war], for which appreciated the traders for their resilient and steadfastness under unfavorable conditions. He asked the provincial government to fulfill its promise made with traders for giving them tax exemptions and special incentives to revive their business that was miserably affected by Covid-19 restrictions.
Ghazanfar Bilour speaking on the occasion has set aside the perception that the SCCI is only working for industrialists as he said that there was no distinction between traders and industrialists because all those people doing different businesses fall into the category of traders.
Mr Biour thanked the traders for giving vote to Businessman Forum candidates and ensuring their win in SCCI election 2021-22.
The meeting was also addressed by Shuakat Ali Khan and Haji Muhammad Afzal and highlighted the role for the chamber in raising issues of traders’ community in an effective manner.