PESHAWAR - The businessmen of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have demanded of the government to ensure uninterrupted power supply to industries and exempt small industrial units from electricity load-shedding to give boost to industrialisation in the province. The demand was made by the President of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), Maqsood Anwar while speaking in a meeting with a delegation of small manufacturers, led by General Secretary of the Small Industries’ Association Kohat Road Peshawar here at Chamber House on Thursday. On the occasion, the SCCI vice presidents and members of the executive committee were also present.
Maqsood Anwar said that small industries and businesses are backbone of the national economy, and that would be supported at all level. He added the small industries have played pivotal role in the economic stability and development of the country. He urged the government and relevant authorities to ensure uninterrupted electricity supply to small industries across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The chamber president said that SCCI is prime and the only chamber of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, wherein representation of both industrialists and traders exists. He also urged the government to provide all basic facilities like electricity, gas and other facilities to all large and small manufacturing units, to promote industrialization in the province. He assured the manufacturers that SCCI will take up issues of small industries and traders and will formulate policies in consultation with the business community. The chamber president also assured that they will make efforts for establishment of a new small industrial estate in Peshawar. He said the imposition of additional taxes on small traders was unjust and unacceptable to them. He asked the government to make consultation with the chambers and business community regarding formulation of economic policies and imposition of new taxes.
He praised the small industries and traders for their continuous support to government and contribution in national economy by paying different taxes regularly despite unfavorable investment climate in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Small Industrial Association Kohat Road general secretary, Wahid Awan, Plastic Manufacturing Union president Nasim Gul, Small Arms Producers’ Association president Momin Afridi, Engineering Small Industries’ Association President Sohail and others were also spoken on the occasion.
