The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Standing committee on 'Banking and FDIs' has proposed for lowering the mark-up rate on export refinancing and suggested that commercial banks should extend soft-loans to war-affected business community, for economic development and industrial growth in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The committee also demanded for giving complete autonomy to regional heads of commercial banks in the province. It was further proposed that loans had been provided to public sector schemes by the commercial banks, the loan facility should extend to business community for economic development and industrial growth in the province. The banks should carryout special awareness campaign for the general masses, play their role for development of small businesses, and lowering the mark-up rate on export refinancing, the committee suggested.
The proposals and recommendations have been put during SCCI committee's meeting held under its Chairman and renowned industrialist's Ghulam Sarwar Mohmand here at the Chamber House on Wednesday. Those attended the meeting included leader of Businessmen Forum Senator Ilyas Bilour, SCCI vice presidents Malik Iftikhar Awan, SBP acting Chief Manager, Saeeda Asma Aziz, ACS M Attiqa Gul, Regional Head Habib Bank, Shamsul Qayyum, NBP Regional Head, Mohammad Atlas, ABL Regional Head, Abdur Rahman, BoK Group Head, Imran Samad, Sadiq-ur-Rehman from Meezan Bank, Mohammad Afzal of Habib Metropolitan Bank, Senior Vice president, Askari Bank, Shakeel M Paracha, and representatives of other commercial banks. Ghulam Sarwar, while speaking on the occasion, asked the commercial banks to extend maximum soft-loans on easy terms to terrorism-affected business community.
He further said the bank loans provided for public sector schemes should give to business community to boost up industrialisation and create maximum job opportunities in the province. The Committee's Chairman said that central bank should also issue guideline for the commercial banks to complete abide on this proposal to give maximum relief to the business community.
Sarwar viewed the development of SME sector was eminent for economic stability. Therefore, he stressed, the commercial banks should give maximum focus on it. He demanded for complete autonomy to heads of commercial banks in KP, and proposed for constituting of arbitration committee between SCCI and the commercial banks.
Senator Ilyas Bilour, the leader of Businessmen Forum, while mentioning the business community difficulties during exchanging of dollars and creating LC in the central bank, said that regional chiefs of the commercial banks must give autonomy in the province. Other participants, including Safi Bashir Durrani, Haji Mohammd Asif, Ziaul Haq Sarhadi and Zahidullah Shinwari have also demanded of the State Bank of Pakistan for revival of advisory committee.
Central Bank's Acting Chief Saeeda Asma Aziz, Regional Head HBL Shamsul Qayyum, NBP Regional Head Mohammad Atlas Sadiqul Rahman from Meezan Bank, and heads of commercial banks also spoke on the occasion. They said the Commercial Bank's ready for lending in KP province, but business community didn't attempt to approach them.