F.P. Report
PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Fuad Ishaq said resolution of industrialists and traders’ community amongst topmost priority of the chamber and urged federal and provincial governments to ensure uninterrupted electricity and gas supply to industries in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He was speaking at a luncheon hosted in his honour by president of Industrialists Association Peshawar Ayub Zakori, held here at IAP office on Tuesday. The SCCI chief thanked IAP for hosting a lunch in his honour. Those who attended the luncheon include SCCI senior vice president Sanaullah Khan, former FPCCI president Ghazanfar Bilour, former president SCCI Senator Mohsin Aziz, former presidents of the chamber Haji Muhammad Afzal, Faiz Muhammad Faizi, Riaz Arshad, Adeel Rauf, Malik Niaz Ahmad, Sherbaz Bilour, former vice presidents SCCI Junaid Altaf, Haris Mufti, a executive member of the chamber Monawar Khurshid, Shakir Ishaq, Zarak Khan Khattak, Hakim Shinwari, Ahmad Mustafa, Shafiq Afridi, CEO KPEZDMC Javed Khattak, members of the IAP.
Fuad Ishaq said SCCI believes in selfless services to the business community, which is solely their forum, which has proactively raised voice for the community in every term. He vowed no stone will be left unturned to resolve the issue of the business community and will continue the struggle for gaining constitutional rights on gas and electricity. The chamber president told participants that it is our motto these days that any problem from a trader or industrialist will be resolved within a span of 24 hrs. Furthermore, he said that the government is neglecting KP and our problems which is evident from recent events when we highlighted the gas price hike but the government was unfazed. Fuad Ishaq said that KP is a net exporter of gas, as the province is producing 550 MMCFD, and are only consuming 200 MMCFD, in which 35 MMCFD is being consumed by KP industries and 40 MMCFD is being consumed by CNG sector.
Similarly, he said KP is producing 42% of Pakistan Oil (31,000)bbl/day out of 71,000 bbl/day. He said the chamber has proposed to the federal government to rationalise income and sales tax and to streamline transit trade, the 224 band items and its duty should be equal to that of Afghanistan. Likewise, the SCCI chief said mark-up rates are increased to 24 – 25 %, which is extremely non-feasible for industries of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Also, he told participants that the chamber has raised an effective voice for safeguarding rights of the business community and obliging US officials in Pakistan to provide funds and simple markup rate loans to youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, through IDPP. Senator Mohsin Aziz, raised the issue of recent gas prices Hike and praised the role of SCCI in highlighting this injustice. He further said that KP is grappling with many issues and the government has turned a blind eye to our province’s issues, which is why we need to have such discussions to highlight our issues. We are denied our right under Article 158 and no new connections are being offered to KP industrialists.
RLNG is being imposed on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He asked the KPEZDMC to step up its efforts in facilitating the industries of KP. It’s a moment of satisfaction that FPCCI president is a familiar face so now we must avail this opportunity and raise voice against gas price hike, Senator Mohsin Aziz said. Javed Khatak informed participants that recently our department has not taken a penny from KP govt in the midst of ADP. We are self-sustaining and working hard to expand zones across KP, Khattak said.
Former FPCCI president Ghazanfar Bilour on the occasion highlighted the severe issues faced by industrialists of KP. Ghazi khan told participants that 40% of industries have stopped working in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa which is very unfortunate and we hope and pray that these issues resolve quickly.
