PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra on Monday asked entrepreneurs and traders to significantly contribute to the strengthening of the national economy by availing themselves of the opportunities offered under the multibillion dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

He said this while addressing the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry members during a ceremony held at the Governor’s House here in the honour of the newly-elected cabinet of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

Noted among participants were Senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour, SCCI president Haji Mohammad Afzal, FPCCI president Zubair Tufail and senior vice-president Amir Atta Bajwa, industrialists and traders from all over the province.

The governor praised Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for making efforts to bring the country out of economic crisis.

“The country has secured the CPEC project due to the sincere efforts of the prime minister. The execution of this project will not only address the issue of unemployment but also it will lead the country to a prosperous and stable future,” he said.

Businessmen demand Rs50bn package for their community in KP

The governor said the country wasn’t short of natural resources but there was a dire need to ensure their efficient utilisation.

“If we succeed to make the best utilisation of the resources available in the country, not only the economic condition of KP and Federally Administered Tribal Areas will improve but the entire country will greatly benefit as well,” he said.

Mr. Jhagra said peace had been restored both in KP and Fata due to the sacrifices rendered by both the people and security forces and that it was the duty of all KP citizens, especially businessmen, to join hands to strengthen local economy.

He said he would arrange a meeting of businessmen with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and federal finance minister Ishaq Dar over their problems for corrective measures.

FPCCI president Zubair Tufail, United Business Group’s patron-in-chief SM Munir, Senator Ilyas Bilour, SCCI president Haji Mohammad Afzal and FPCCI senior vice president Aamir Atta Bajwa, who spoke on the occasion, urged the federal government to approve the Rs50 billion financial package for the business community in the militancy-affected Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They criticised the Federal Board of Revenue for conducting the audit of selected people out of around one million taxpayers and said the move had caused unrest among businessmen.

Mr. SM Munir asked the federal government to support KP’s business community and ensure uniform prices of natural gas, petroleum products and electricity across the country.

Besides the SCCI office-bearers and members, the representatives of other chambers from KP, too, attended in the event.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2017