President Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Muhammad Ashraf Malik pledged to continue efforts for the betterment of business community without discrimination while special focus would be accorded on the promotion of women entrepreneurship in this export hub of the country.
Talking to reporters on Friday he said that it is heartening to note that Prime Minister Imran Khan is keen to enhance exports and to create flexibility for export sector of the country. The business community of Sialkot fully endorsed the Prime Minister's policy for enhancing the exports of the country and will extend full cooperation to the government in this regard Ashraf said.
Keeping in view the present situation of trade, the government should announce special incentives for the industry enabling it to play its instrumental role in enhancing the export volume of the country he said. The SCCI President further stated that business community of this export hub will play its vibrant role in enhancing the exports for the national interest and bringing out the country from economic crisis.
Ashraf Malik suggested that government should take drastic steps for enhancing rates of DLTL scheme from 3 percent to 7 percent and provide an opportunity to those exporters who did not avail benefits of 2013 to 2018 DLTL schemes in stipulated period. The SCCI President urged upon the Punjab government to take steps for transfer of 500 acres of land to the federal government at the earliest possible for setting up much awaited Swedish University in Sialkot. He further stated that 1000 acres of land should also be transferred for setting up Special Economic Zone in Sialkot.
The SCCI President pointed out that research and development cell of SCCI would be made more vibrant for the larger interest of the business community of the area. Adequate efforts would be made for developing cordial relations with the businesses of Eastern Europe, Western Europe, America, South America, Far East and South Far East countries for business activities and to introduce Pakistani products as well as for the exchange of trade delegations he pointed out.
Ashraf further added that we are endeavoring to constitute separate wings within SCCI for resolving big and small issues confronting by the local business community on top priority basis. In this regard he said SCCI will constitute a special team for handling Federal, Provincial and district level issues and the team will be given a task.
Furthermore he said that it is very unfortunate that exporters engaged with different cottage industries were struggling for their due rights since long without government support and government departments because the exporters and manufacturers of the area were totally ignored by every government due to unknown reasons even the local business community facing problems for obtaining refunds claims. The SCCI President was confident that government would take immediate steps to facilitate the exporter community enabling it to play its instrumental role in bringing big boom in exports of the country. The SCCI President further stated that strenuous efforts would be made for achieving the fix targets with the active support of the business community of the area. The business community of Sialkot had played an instrumental role in completing mega projects like Sialkot International Airport, face-lifting of Sialkot and Sialkot Dry Port etc and now undertaking mega project of Air Sial he said. The president further said that business community of Sialkot was always on front foot during calamity and we will continue the process in future.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2019
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