Govt urged to formulate business-friendly policies

TAKHTBHAI: The leaders of the business community and industrialists on Thursday urged the federal and provincial governments to formulate business-friendly policies to boost trade and industry and create employment opportunities in the province.

Speaking at a meeting of traders and businessmen at New Vegetable Market here, Mardan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) president and provincial general secretary of the Markazi Tanzim-e-Tajiraan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Zahir Shah, said that they believed in talks to resolve all stumbling issues between the traders and government.

“We should not be pushed to the wall or else we would be compelled to come on to the roads to snatch our rights,” the traders’ leader said, adding that over a decade-long terrorism, militancy and now the Covid-19 pandemic had destroyed businesses and crippled the businessmen.

Provincial president Sharafat Ali Mubarak, Waqar Bacha, Tariq Khan, Fazal Subhan and others also spoke on the occasion.

Sajjad Ali, Qasim Khan, Guldad Khan, Khalid Khan Mohmand, Sher Mama and others were also present.

Zahir Shah said that most of the traders and businessmen even lost their capital due to the years-long terrorism, flawed policies of successive governments and now the coronavirus outbreak.

“Above all, the incumbent government levied a number of taxes on the businesses that collapsed the industry and the businesses across the country,” he said, vowing that they would not hesitate to render any sacrifice for the protection of rights of the trader community.

He added that business community was faced with a host of problems due to government flawed policies, insecurity and Covid-19 pandemic.

He said that MCCI and Tanzim-e-Tajiraan would continue their efforts for the protection of self-respect and rights of traders in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to boost trade activities and create job opportunities for the skilled manpower in the province.

Later, Sharafat Ali Mubarak visited the residence of Khalid Khan Mohmand and congratulated him on joining the Markazi Tanzim-e-Tajiraan.