Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) and Sajjad Sarwar, President, Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industries (ICSTSI) called upon the government to focus on promoting ease of doing business in order to facilitate the growth of business activities and revive the economy. This demand was made during the visit of a delegation of President, Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industries to ICCI. Tariq Khokhar Senior Vice President, Rana Ayaz & Saqib Abbasi former Presidents, Imran Sukhera Executive Member, Tahir Arain former Senior Vice President ICSTSI and others were in the delegation.

Ahsan Bakhtawari said that the small businesses are playing an important role in promoting the economic activities and stressed that the CDA should address their key issues to facilitate them in business development. He emphasized that the government should allot plots to Chambers of Small Traders and Small Industries so that these trade bodies can play a more effective role in promoting small businesses to improve exports, generate jobs and help revive the economy. He said that due to the high transaction costs and tough collateral requirements, small businesses are facing great problems in getting loans from banks and emphasized that the government should address this issue to increase their share in the total credit of the private sector. It will enable businesses to play an enhanced role in the economic development of the country. He assured that ICCI would cooperate with ICSTSI in resolving the key issues of small traders and small industries to facilitate their better growth.

Sajjad Sarwar, President, Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industries said that close liaison and cooperation between ICCI and ICSTSI will prove effective in serving the cause of the business community. He said that the economy of Pakistan is passing through a difficult time and stressed that promoting the ease of doing business should be the top priority of the government to improve the economy. He emphasized that CDA should build parking plazas in markets to address the longstanding issues of traders and focus on better development of all markets. He said that small traders and small industries are making useful contributions towards the economy and urged that the government should focus on resolving their key issues to facilitate their better growth.

Faad Waheed Senior Vice President and Engr. Azhar ul Islam Zafar Vice President ICCI demanded that FBR, CDA, ICT Administration and other business-related government departments should cooperate with the business community in promoting business activities that would help improve the economy.