The Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Engineer Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz has welcomed the federal government announcement of Rs 50 billion support for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

According to the fiscal support package, he said the electricity bills would be waived off for next three months for small traders and commercial institutions up to connected load of 5 kilowatt and small industries up to connected load of 70 kilowatt. However, he demanded to include commercial institutions with connected load of 20 kilowatt and industrial units with connected load of 400 kilowatt into the government scheme.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, SCCI chief asked the government to take measures for provision of soft loans from commercial banks for corona-hit small traders and industries, resolution of issues of exporters and importers on priority basis.

Maqsood Pervaiz expressed the hope that the business community hit by corona-lockdown would get relief to some extent after announcement of Rs50billion support package. However, he demanded of the federal and provincial governments to waive off all taxes, availability of interest-free loan, and rescheduled loans of commercial institutions.

He also sought the phase-wise reopening of bazaars and markets under comprehensive standard operating procedure (SOPs) to revive the business and economic activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.