ISLAMABAD: A delegation of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) led by its President Sheikh Amir Waheed called on Aftab Akbar Durrani and congratulated him on being appointed as Chief Commissioner, Islamabad. Muhammad Naveed Senior Vice President ICCI, Raja Abdul Majeed, Khalid Chaudhry, Sheikh Abdul Waheed and others were in the delegation.
Sheikh Amir Waheed, President ICCI apprised the Chief Commissioner ICT of the key issues of business community. He said that business community of Islamabad was receiving notices for trade license from Director Municipal Administration CDA and Islamabad Market Committee which was not justified. He said there should be one regulator for trade license to save business community from problems.
He said Islamabad Market Committee has imposed taxes on business community without consultation with stakeholders and without determining any legal method for tax enforcement and stressed that Chief Commissioner should look into this matter. He said property value in Islamabad was assessed at FBR rate and maximum value of stamp paper was Rs.24,000/- due to which large number of stamp papers were required for registration of property in case of sale/purchase. He said the maximum value of stamp paper should be increased to Rs.100,000/- or the method of Punjab Government should be adopted to facilitate property business.
He said Ministry of Interior in collaboration with a public sector organization was going to organize Islamabad Festival. He said ICCI was ready to partner in Islamabad Festival on public-private partnership basis so that people could get good entertainment and business activities could flourish. He informed that ICCI was planning to organize an industrial expo “Hamara Islamabad” at Parade Ground in April this year for which ICT Administration and ISPR had given positive signals, but CDA has not issued NOC due to which the project has been postponed. Muhammad Naveed Senior Vice President ICCI invited Chief Commissioner ICT to visit Chamber for an interaction with local business community. Raja Abdul Majeed, Khalid Chaudhry, Sheikh Abdul Waheed and others also spoke at the occasion.
Aftab Akbar Durrani, chief commissioner ICT said that business community was playing important role in the economic development and assured his full support for resolving their key issues. He said ICCI suggestion for organizing Islamabad Festival on public-private partnership on regular basis would be given due consideration. He said he would discuss the NOC issue for “Hamara Islamabad” expo with CDA and assured his cooperation for such ventures. He said ICCI should sent all highlighted issues in writing to him so that he could pursue them for redress. He assured that he would visit ICCI at a later date for an interaction with the local business community.
