PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Fuad Ishaq demanded rationalization of duties and tariffs on exporting items to improve cross-border mutual trade and exports.
The SCCI chief said high duties and tariffs on imported items have encouraged transit and illegal trade, which should be eliminated. Also, he urged Islamabad and Kabul to devise a joint mechanism to remove hurdles in order to carry out smooth trade between the two neighboring countries.
Similarly, he called for reforms in the Federal Board of Revenue and taxation system, facilitating the business community. Fuad Ishaq was speaking to a 24-member traders’ delegation headed by Ghulam Bilal Javed here at the chamber house on Tuesday.
Sanaullah Khan, senior vice president; Ijaz Khan Afridi, vice president; Sajjad Aziz, secretary general of the chamber; and others were present during the meeting. He noticed the Pak-Afghan mutual trade had dropped to $400 to $500 million, which was around $2.5 billion a few years ago.
Other members of the delegation consisted of chairman All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellery and Tahafaz e Hindkowan Foundation Haji Amin Hussain Babar, Shahid Khan, presidents, and general secretaries from the business community.
Members of the business community during the meeting raised concerns about the repatriation of illegal Afghan refugees and the current state of the national economy and highlighted other issues that were adversely affecting trade and commercial activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The delegation congratulated the newly elected president, Fuad Ishaq, and senior vice president, Sanaullah Khan, and expressed hope that they, along with other members of the cabinet, will play an important role in the resolution of business community issues.
Fuad Ishaq assured that business community issues would be resolved on a priority basis by taking up relevant authorities at the federal and provincial levels in an efficient manner.
The SCCI chief urged the government to take pragmatic steps to provide a conducive business atmosphere for the revival of the ailing economy. Meanwhile, a delegation of the Industrialists Association Peshawar (IAP), led by its acting president Ayub Zakori, also called on the president of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Other members of the industrialists’ delegation include Senator Nauman Wazir, senior member IAP Malik Niaz Ahmad, Farhad Asfandyar, Haris Mufti, Junaid Altaf, Salman Altaf, secretary general Muqtasid Ahsan, and others.
Ayub Zakori and other members of the delegation congratulated the newly elected president and senior vice president of the chamber and expressed their best wishes and hope they will serve the business community with new passion and zeal.
Fuad Ishaq assured the IAP delegation that the SCCI will take up all issues that had been mentioned during the meeting with relevant federal and provincial authorities and resolve them on priority grounds.
Later, a delegation of the Khyber Bazar Carpet Association, led by former president Faiz Muhammad Faizi, also met with the chamber’s newly elected cabinet members, congratulated them, and expressed hope that they would deliver the business community in an efficient manner. Members of the delegation included Haji Attaullah Mohmand, Haji Muhammad Azeem and others.