PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) demanded the government to announce a special economic relief package for the ‘terrorism-affected’ business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the budget.

Talking to media regarding the upcoming fiscal budget here on Sunday, the chamber’s acting president Ejaz Khan Afridi urged the government to present a business friendly budget for the next financial year.

Ejaz sought reduction in the ratio of taxes and opposed the imposing additional burden of taxes on existing taxpayers and poor masses.

He furthermore called to reduce electricity, gas tariffs and prices of petroleum commodities.

The SCCI acting chief said it is in the need of hour to provide relief to the business community in the budget in order to revive the ailing economy of the country.

Businessmen are faced with difficulties owing to high prices of electricity, gas and petroleum commodities, Ejaz said.

He said if the federal government is sincere about putting the national economy on the right track, it should announce a business-friendly budget for next fiscal year.

The chamber’s acting chief furthermore asked for taking economic, industries and business growth-oriented initiatives.

Ejaz Afridi condemned the recent hike in gas tariff by 50 per cent, saying that increase in prices of natural gas before the presentation of the fiscal budget was an unjust and unfair move of the government, which couldn’t be acceptable to them.

He asked the government to incorporate the SCCI proposals in the upcoming fiscal budget so that relief should be given in light of the chamber’s recommendations to terrorism and natural calamity hit traders’ community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

If the industries and businesses would be functional and working positions that will bring stability in the national economy, Ejaz remarked.

He added that a prosperous business community is a guarantee for a better economy, so the government should give them relief and special incentives at every level.

Ejaz Afridi urged the government to take pragmatic steps through the upcoming budget for removal of hurdles in the way of the country’s export and bilateral trade.

He suggested the signing of a free trade agreement and launching joint ventures between Pakistan and Afghanistan and asked the both governments to frame a concrete and comprehensive policy in this regard.

Afridi said enhancing bilateral trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan and Central Asian Republic countries is in dire need under the prevailing economic conditions, stressing the need to give special focus on this proposal.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023