A delegation of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry led by its President Shaban Khalid called on Mr. Maroof Afzal, Chairman CDA and apprised him of the issues of business community and offered proposals for their solution. Mr. Amir Ali Ahmed Member Admin CDA, Mr. Waseem Ahmed Khan Member (Planning & Design) CDA, and Mr. Zahid Sultan Director BCS were also present at the occasion.

 

The Chairman CDA said that the civic authority would try to resolve all genuine problems of the traders and industrialists to facilitate them in their endeavors to promote business activities. He said CDA Board has already approved a new policy for lease renewal cases which will be applicable across the board and hoped that the said policy would facilitate the stakeholders in lease renewals. He said the notification of new policy would be issued soon.

 

He said CDA would give due consideration to the highlighted problems of businessmen including trade change, multiple trades on single plot, bifurcation of plots, sale outlets and 3S dealerships, warehouses at industrial plots and increase in industrial plots coverage area etc.

 

He said CDA and ICCI should hold further meetings to develop consensus on major issues and prepare unanimous proposals that would be presented to the CDA Board for approval. He said businessmen are playing important role in developing the local economy and assured that CDA would take all possible measures to address their concerns. It was decided that Member (Planning & Design) CDA would hold meetings with ICCI to develop SOPs.

 

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Shaban Khalid, President ICCI gave detailed briefing to CDA team about the major issues of trade and industry. He said CDA has made lease renewal process very cumbersome and proposed that the process should be made easier. He said CDA should eliminate the NOC requirement from BCS for such cases. He said the process of trade change is also complicated due to which many trade change cases are lying pending and proposed that CDA should open all trades change except for negative list, remove the condition of inspection and fix a certain fee for such cases which should be deposited in bank. He stressed for removal of all unnecessary discretionary clauses and powers that may give rise to red tape, and make processes smooth for any and all ordinary citizens.

 

He said CDA should increase maximum covered area of industrial plots from current 60% to 75% and allow ground plus 3 storey buildings on such plots along with enhancing building heights up to 75 ft. Floor Area Ratio should also be increased from current 1.2 to 2.5. He said CDA should allow bifurcation of industrial plots and permit setting up of warehouses/sale points, 3S auto dealerships on such plots. 

 

Shaban Khalid said since CDA was created in 1960, circumstances and environment in the last 50 years have changed drastically, and there is a need to change the byelaws to make doing business in the city easier, promote industrialization, create jobs. Khalid Chaudhry Senior Vice President, Muhammad Ali Mirza Vice President, Adul Rauf Chairman Founder Group, M/s. Tariq Sadiq, Khalid Javed, Mian Shaukat Masud former Presidents of ICCI and others were included in ICCI delegation.