LCCI to approach government departments to resolve industrialists’ issues

By Farzana Chaudhry Lahore Pakistan

LAHORE: Export-led growth is essential for Pakistan’s sustainable economic development, and increasing exports requires a business-friendly environment that enables industrialists to expand their operations, Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Ali Hussam Asghar said.

He expressed these views while addressing a delegation of industrialists from Ferozepur Road. LCCI Senior Vice President Sardar Usman Ghani, Vice President Chaudhry Khadim Hussain and delegation leader Adeeb Iqbal Sheikh also spoke at the meeting.

Former LCCI Vice Presidents Faisal Iqbal Sheikh and Mian Zahid Javed, Executive Committee members Ali Raza and Muhammad Umar Abdullah, former Executive Committee member Chaudhry Aurangzeb, and delegation members Naseer, Sajid Minhas, Malik, Qaiser Hussain, Zaheer Bhutta, Kamil Mahmood, Mian Khurshid Anwar, Babar Jahangir, Faisal Amin and Hafiz Imran were also present.

Ali Hussam Asghar assured the delegation that the LCCI would approach the relevant government departments to resolve the problems faced by industrialists on Ferozepur Road, improve business facilitation and eliminate unnecessary administrative hurdles.

He announced that an ad hoc committee, headed by Adeeb Iqbal Sheikh, would be formed to address key industrial concerns and pursue their resolution on a priority basis.

The LCCI president urged exporters to identify policies adversely affecting business activities, assuring them that the Chamber would raise these concerns with the relevant authorities and play an active role in resolving the difficulties faced by the business community.

He said the LCCI had established a Complaint Cell to ensure the prompt resolution of members’ grievances. The cell had also been linked with the Prime Minister’s dashboard concerning economic ministries to facilitate the referral of business complaints to the relevant authorities and make the resolution process more effective.

He added that efforts were underway to establish a Punjab government application through which investors could apply to set up factories and industrial units and obtain various licences through a streamlined approval process.

LCCI Senior Vice President Sardar Usman Ghani assured the delegation of the Chamber’s full cooperation. He said achieving economic development targets required building the confidence of industrialists and traders and involving them in consultations on policies affecting their businesses. He also stressed that the dignity and respect of the business community must be protected.

LCCI Vice President Chaudhry Khadim Hussain urged industrialists from Ferozepur Road to share details of their problems and suggest practical solutions so the Chamber could take up their concerns with the relevant departments.

The LCCI president said the business community was not opposed to improved regulations and laws, but their implementation should not damage industries or disrupt commercial activities. He observed that the registration of first information reports (FIRs) was adversely affecting the business environment and stressed that, wherever legally appropriate, fines and corrective measures should be preferred over criminal proceedings for violations that could be rectified.

Delegation leader Adeeb Iqbal Sheikh expressed concern over Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) bills, payment procedures and FIRs initiated by WASA, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) and other departments.

He said industrialists were willing to pay their legitimate outstanding dues but urged the authorities to listen to their concerns and resolve disputes through consultation and mutual understanding.

The LCCI president also proposed providing small industrialists with easy-term or interest-free loans to help them shift their boilers and other machinery to environmentally friendly technologies.

During the meeting, participants highlighted problems relating to damaged roads, drainage, sanitation and other basic infrastructure facilities on Ferozepur Road. They called for prompt action by the relevant authorities to improve conditions and facilitate industrial and commercial activities in the area.