Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said that he has gone all out to enhance the performance of this prestigious body and that it is because of his and his team’s tireless efforts that today its membership tally has crossed eight thousand.

Speaking to a media group, here on Friday, he said that for ease of doing businesses by addressing the grievances of the community, meetings with relevant government functionaries like CDA, Police, IESCO, IMC high-ups’ are a routine matter, that’s why the traders are getting enrolment in large number which is a crystal clear proof that they are placing their confidence in it.

To a question he said that to attract the foreign investment in the country, meetings with Ambassadors of friendly countries in the Chamber and in the Embassies are trait of the ICCI. Moreover, ICCI delegations’ visits to other countries and meetings with the relevant Chambers have also proved beneficial for the country. Answering a question about promotion of industry-academia linkages, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari said that ICCI has inked MoUs with almost all the leading Universities to enable the educated youth to emerge as job provides instead of job seekers.

To another query he replied that it is for the first time during his Presidency that traders belonging to remote areas of the capital city like Tarnol, Bara Kohu etc. have also obtained the membership in large number because of the outclass performance of the Chamber.

He said that by acknowledging his Corporate Social Responsibilities, he has launched a campaign to install water filtration plants and water coolers in different commercial hubs of the capital city to ensure the provision of clean and cold drinking water to traders, customers as well as the residents. Moreover weekly medical camps, provision of computers, laboratory equipment etc. to different educational institutions are also part of the same drive.

He further said that ICCI is trying its level best to establish a new industrial estate in the outskirts of the twin cities for the promotion of businesses and investments and in this connection is in touch with the concerned authorities.

He proudly mentioned that ICCI has also inked a MoU with the Gulberg Greens Management for the construction of a state of the art expo centre to boost commercial activities in the twin cities, adding that the forthcoming 2nd All Pakistan Chambers Presidents Conclave on June 25, 26 will also go a long way in highlighting and addressing the business community’s problems for the economic wellbeing of the country.

Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari went on to say that because of the commitment and hard work of his team under his command a Mediation Council Office has been established in the ICCI premises to amicably settle the rent matters. Moreover, a NADRA facilitation centre and a Police Service Centre are about to commence their working within couple of next weeks.

He further said that traders are availing discount from top-class hospitals and Diagnostic Centres owing to the endeavors of the ICCI, added that he and his team is working hard to materialize the dream of the business community to have its own hospital, a School, a College and a University and a is also utilizing all options to resolve the residential problems of the business community.

Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari added that ICCI also works shoulder to shoulder with the government for the promotion of education, awareness about IPRs, promulgation of religious values, creating awareness about climate change, sustainable development of the country etc. by holding seminars and conferences.