KPCCI, HCCI sign agreement

ABBOTTABAD: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI) and Hazara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) entered into an agreement on Saturday to secure maximum benefits from the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project and to jointly work for the welfare of business community.

A ceremony was held at the chamber house, attended by office-bearers of both the chambers. Founding president of the United Business Group, Senator Ilyas Bilour, was chief guest at the ceremony. Former presidents and other members of the chambers, including Muhammad Afzal, Zahid Shinwari and Riaz Arshad, were also present on the occasion.

Senator Ilyas Bilour said the business community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is united and four chambers, including Swat, Kohat, Hazara and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chambers, had joined hands to work for the revival of industries and business activities in the province that has suffered much due to war against terrorism.

He said that a joint strategy would be chalked out after the consultation of all stakeholders and a core committee would be formed. He said the committee would include two representatives each from every chamber and proposals of the committee related to business community would be brought into notice of provincial and federal governments and also in the Senate.

Senator Ilyas Bilour said that each and every part of KP is rich in God-gifted resources, especially minerals, the tourism sector and many more areas that are yet to be explored. Earlier, Hazara chamber president Engineer Jehanzeb Khan, secretary Muhammad Asif, president of Small Industrial Estates Association Haji Iftikhar and Zahid Shinwari of the KP chamber spoke on the occasion.

It was agreed that both the chambers would enter into a long-term agreement and use other forums established by the provincial and federal governments and would ensure maximum representation to all the chambers of KP. The meeting was informed that the Hazara chamber would hold an awareness seminar on April 19 about the CPEC project in Hazara to raise awareness in the business community and others as the route would go through all the five districts of Hazara before reaching Punjab.