Chairman, Afghan-Pak Chamber of Commerce & Industry (APCCI), Senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour on Tuesday directed hiring the services of an expert consultant to study trade potentials with Afghanistan & the Central Asian Republic (CAR), hurdles in promotion of trade, transport and logistic problems.
He issued these directives while presiding over a meeting of APCCI here at Sarhad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCI) with Senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour in the chair. Those who attended the meeting include President SCCI, Liaquat Ahmad Khan, Senior Vice President, Haji Mohammad Israr Saraf, executive members SCCI and APCCI.
Senator Bilour said that the studies would help in running the proposed Research & Development Cell at SCCI. He said that hurdles in the promotion of trade with Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs) would be removed after collecting correct information about potentials and trade with these countries.
In this connection, he also called for an important role of APCCI in this regard adding that the concerned chamber would take effective measures for removal of hurdles in promotion of trade among Pakistan, Afghanistan and the Central Asian Republics.
Meanwhile, SCCI has handed over its apprehensions on the sending of some export related cases to Customs Intelligence to Tax Advisory Committee. The meeting of the committee was held at Regional Tax Office with Director General, Mrs Abida Ali.
Those who attended were including chairman SCCI Standing Committee on Income Tax, Haji Mohammad Asif, chairman standing committee on sales tax, Zahidullah Shinwari, Sharafat Ali Mubarak, Mohammad Ishaq and officials of income tax and sales tax.
Speaking in the meeting, Zahidullah Shinwari said that the decision of the chairman, Central Board of Revenue (CBR) was still pending, but the regional tax office has sent the concerned case to Customs Intelligence, which would badly affect the export of the country.
Haji Mohammad Asif raised the matter of the outstanding income tax against floor mills on which Mrs Abida Ali assured that they are ready to resolve the matter through negotiations with SCCI.
Sharafat Ali Mubarak called for maintenance of the Income Tax Policy 2003-07 for another period of five years. He further demanded simplification of income tax returns and expansion of income tax exemptions to Rs 0.2million. DG Regional Tax Office assured the resolution of the problems.
EXPORT TROPHY AWARDS:
The executive committee of SCCI Tuesday approved rules and regulations for Export Awards for financial year 2005-06 and directed initiation of work for holding Businessman of the Year Gold Medal and Export Trophy Awards. Besides members of the executive committee the meeting was also attended by the leader of the Progressive Businessman Forum, Senator Ilyas Ahmad Bilour.
Addressing the meeting, Haji Mohammad Asif briefed members about the progress made in connections with holding Export Trophy Awards 2005-06. The meeting also reviewed different matters relating to Trade Ordinance 2006. The meeting also approved the installation of scanner for bringing improvement in security system of the chamber.
The meeting condemned Charsadda suicide bombing incident and presented suggestions for further activation of Industrial & Trade Advisory Cell (ITAC). It also reviewed industrial and trade related activities in the province and directed collection of data regarding industrial development and investment in the province.