BP demands interest-free credit for NWFP businessmen

NWP chapter of Businessman Panel (BP) has called for disbursement of interest-free credit for the business community and charging of domestic power tariff from the industrial units for the revival of trade and industry in the province. The demand was made during a meeting of the Businessman Panel at Tribal Areas Chamber of Commerce & Industry (TACCI) here on Monday.
Those who attended were included Senator Haji Mohammad Adeel, Senator Haji Ghulam Ali, President, TACCI, Mohammad Akbar Khan, Malik Mehr Elahi, Khawaja Yawar Naseer, Haji Haleem Jan, Malik Fazal Elahi, Adnan Jalil and other members of the sectors of trade and industry.
The meeting reviewed the Prime Minister's Relief Package for the revival of the trade and industry in NWFP. They welcomed the package as good omen for the development of the trade and industry of the province. However, they termed it insufficient as compared to the requirements of the province.
They said that the militancy and bomb explosions had badly affected both trade and industrial activities in the province. The leaders of the business community demanded the reservation of 50 percent relief of the total incentives granted to the province. They also called for granting tax exemptions to business community of the province. They demanded writing off the SME loans and waiving of mark up on the loans up to Rs 2 million and exempting of the industrial units from property tax. Furthermore, they also called for waiving of all taxes on the utility bills.
They criticised the role of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) for ignoring the problems of different sectors. They suggested that in future the government institutions besides SCCI should consult such matters with other trade and industries body of the province also.
The meeting also demanded construction of separate trauma centre in Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) to prevent the disturbance for other patients visiting the hospital on the occasion of the emergency situation in the city. The businessmen called for the repatriation of registered as well as non-registered Afghan refugees to their country.