PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said that additional and dual taxation is unacceptable to the business community and asked the government to withdraw the recent hike in power and gas tariffs.

Addressing the annual general body meeting of the chamber here on Wednesday, Sherbaz Bilour newly-elected president stressed the need for adopting business-friendly policies to boost up national economy.

He called upon the government to take pragmatic steps for industrialisation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He pledged that he would leave no stone unturned to safeguard the interests of business community and resolve their problems.

Sherbaz Bilour said that tax reforms were inevitable. He added that impediments in the way of refunds payment to the business community should be removed and the process needed to be expedited.

He asked government to provide financial relief to traders to revive business activities.

He said that the elected body of SCCI would devise effective policies in close coordination and consultation with the business community to resolve the longstanding issues.

The SCCI chief said all chambers would be taken on board for revival and stability of the provincial economy. He said that promotion of trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan was also among his top priorities. He added that the issues of traders, importers and exporters would be highlighted in Islamabad and Kabul for their amicable resolution.

Former senator and leader of Businessman Forum llyas Ahmad Bilour, former FPCCI president Ghazanfar Bilour, outgoing office-bearers of SCCI including Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz, Shahid Hussain and Abdul Jalil Jan and the newly-elected office-bearers of the chamber including Mansoor Elahi, Junaid Altaf, the election commission members Malik Niaz Ahmad, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi, Faiz Rasool, former presidents of the forum and office-bearers of different trade bodies, bazaar and market associations also shared views on the occasion.

Maqsood Pervaiz, the outgoing president of SCCI, briefed the participants about activities and achievable targets during his last one year tenure.

Ilyas Bilour in his address expressed high optimism after unopposed election of the new office-bearers of the chamber.

Published in Dawn, October 1st , 2020