Presidents of market associations of Islamabad during a meeting at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) showed concerns that the CDA is not doing any development works in markets due to which the traders are facing lot of problems and urged that the CDA should focus on development works in all major markets to facilitate the growth of trade activities.

Addressing the office bearers of market associations, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that traders are paying various taxes to the CDA and are making significant contribution to its revenue, therefore, it is the responsibility of the civic body to develop markets on modern lines for smooth growth of trade activities. He said that with the efforts of ICCI, CDA has allocated spaces in various markets for the installation of filtration plants and assured that ICCI would keep pushing CDA for the uplift of markets. He said that ICCI in collaboration with market associations is planning to organize a winter festival in Islamabad and hoped that all markets would fully cooperate in making the festival successful. Engr. Azhar ul Islam Zafar, Vice President ICCI said that unity among traders is the key requirement to get their issues resolved and assured that the ICCI would keep fighting for their cause.

Khalid Iqbal Malik, Group Leader ICCI said that the business community is the main stakeholder towards the revenue generation of the CDA and the civic body should compensate them by ensuring better development of all the markets.

Zafar Bakhtawari, former President and Secretary General UBG Pakistan said that Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari is making all out efforts for resolving the key issues of the business community and assured that he would continue to work closely with the CDA to start the needed development works in the markets.

Muhammad Ejaz Abbasi former President ICCI, Ajmal Baloch President and Akhtar Hussain Secretary General Aabpara Market, Shehzad Shabbir Abbasi President Super Market F-6 Markaz, Asad Aziz President Jinnah Super F-7 Markaz, Raja Hassan Akhtar President Blue Area, Azhar Iqbal President Melody Market, Syed Altaf Hussain Shah President Sitara Market G-7 Markaz, Akhlaq Abbasi President G-10 Markaz, Nasir Chaudhry President I&T Center G-8/1, Ahmed Khan President F-10 Markaz, Tahir Ayub Secretary General Wholesale Fruits & Vegetable Market I-11/4, Naeem Awan President G-11 Markaz, Raja Fayyaz Gul President I-8 Markaz, , Zahid Dhanial President Markazi Union Bara Kahu, Zahid Gujjar President G-10/4 I&T Centre, Muzaffar Hashmi President Milk Association Islamabad, Ajab Khan President and Waseem Abbasi Secretary General G-8 Markaz Motor Dealers, Abid Khan President G-13 Markaz, Zahid Hamid President Jewelers Association, Safdar Abbasi President I-9 Markaz, Zahir Abbasi President E-11 Markaz, Nisar Ahmed Langa President G-9/4 Khalid Chaudhry and others spoke on the occasion. They highlighted that markets need carpeting of roads, repair of footpaths, restoration of streetlights, wash rooms, filtration plants, new sewerage lines, improved sanitation and better cleaning and stressed that the CDA should do all these development in markets without further delay to facilitate the smooth growth of trade activities.