New industrial estate in capital territory termed essential for promotion of trade

Islamabad

Establishment of a new Industrial Estate in Islamabad Region has become essential to promote trade and exports with China and Central Asian countries and government should accelerate efforts to realise this goal, observed former Senator Syed Zafar Ali Shah while addressing business community at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

He said China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was poised to change the business dynamics in Pakistan while the next century was termed the century of Asia and business community should get ready to face coming challenges to compete effectively in the new scenario.

Syed Zafar Ali Shah said business community was playing important role in the development of local economy and all relevant organisations including Iesco, SNGPL, FBR and CDA should play facilitative role in the better growth of business activities. It will help in creating new jobs and reducing unemployment in the region as well. He said that he has old relations with ICCI and assured that he would cooperate with Chamber in efforts aimed at redress of key issues of business community.

Speaking on the occasion, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Khalid Iqbal Malik lauded the services of Syed Zafar Ali Shah and said that 90 per cent issues of local business community were related to the CDA. He said businessmen have lot of expectations from Sheikh Anser Aziz, Chairman CDA and Mayor MCI, but so far no visible improvement in the working of civic body was visible. He said Chairman CDA had assured to address the issues of lease renewal and additional storey in Marakaz soon, but there was no tangible progress on these issues as yet.

He said promulgation of a balanced rent control act in Islamabad was a long-standing issue of business community. He said a consensus draft of said law was lying with a Standing Committee of National Assembly since long and stressed that Syed Zafar Ali Shah, being the member of ruling party, should play role in early enactment of said draft into rent law.

Khalid Malik Senior Vice President, Tahir Ayub Vice President ICCI, Mian Akram Farid, Zafar Bakhtawari, Muhammad Ejaz Abbasi, Khalid Chaudhry and others also spoke at the occasion and lauded the services of Syed Zafar Ali Shah for the local community.