PM meets KCCI members to review progress of meetings with Federal Secretaries, officials of FBR & SBP

TEXT: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who was on a daylong visit to Karachi a few days after attending KCCI’s Export Trophy Awards, held at meeting with a delegation of Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCI) at Dockyard to review the progress of numerous meetings held on same morning with various Federal Secretaries and Heads of the departments who visited KCCI to discuss the issues being faced by the business and industrial community of Karachi.

After listening to KCCI’s opinion about the meetings, Prime Minister immediately ordered Governor State Bank to hold a meeting with KCCI the very next day so that all their issues pertaining to delays in LCs could be resolved. Moreover, on the occasion, the Prime Minister further ordered Chairman FBR to visit KCCI on August 4, 2023 to discuss the taxation related issues being faced by the business community.

Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori, Chief Minister Sindh Sued Murad Ali Shah, Federal Minister for Commerce Syed Naveed Qamar, Chairman Businessmen Group Zubair Motiwala, Vice Chairman BMG Haroon Farooki, General Secretary BMG AQ Khalil, President KCCI Mohammed Tariq Yousuf, Senior Vice President Touseef Ahmed, Vice President Mohammad Haris Agar, KCCI Managing Committee Members and Former Presidents were present on the occasion.

PM Shehbaz Sharif asserted that the government has taken several concrete measures to create a ‘conducive environment’ for business and investment. He said that steps were also being taken to resolve the issue of electricity shortage and all the businesses will be provided electricity at the same rate.

The premier informed that the federal government was also initiating a solar power project of 10 thousand megawatts which has also attracted the interest of foreign investors.

Talking about the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), PM Shehbaz Sharif said the institution would greatly improve and simplify the process for investors bringing in further investments in the country.

He said that the traders’ community of Karachi has an essential role in the country’s economy and resolving their issues is among the top priorities of the government.

Chairman Businessmen Group Muhammad Zubair Motiwala, while expressing satisfaction over meeting with Federal Secretary for Energy Power Division Rashid Mehmood Langrial and KE Management, said that most of the issues highlighted by KCCI were admitted by Federal Secretary Rashid Langrial who ensured to resolve the same so that the industries of Karachi could be provided a level playing field.

Commenting on a meeting with Additional Secretary Ministry of Industries & Production Momin Agha, Chairman BMG welcomed the response received during the said meeting in which KCCI’s recommendations were taken into consideration with an assurance of resolving the same on priority basis.

He, however, expressed sheer dissatisfaction over the response received from the officials of State Bank and Federal Board of Revenue who were unwilling to cooperate with KCCI and kept giving lame excuses in dealing with LCs, Sales Tax Refunds, DLTL and other taxation measures.

Zubair Motiwala, while appreciating the cooperation extended by honorable Prime Minister in dealing with numerous issues particularly his directives issued to Governor State Bank and Chairman FBR, hoped that the meetings with Governor SBP and Chairman FBR would also yield positive results and KCCI’s recommendations for improving the business environment are taken into consideration which are all given in national interest.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023