ISLAMABAD: Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) President Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari greeted the newly-elected body of Associated of Press of Pakistan (APP) Employees Union. ICCI President greets newly-elected body of APP Employees Union
The ICCI hosted a luncheon reception hosted in honour of APP Managing Director Muhammad Asim Khichi and office-bearers of APP Employees Union, including Khizer Zaman Malik, here at the chamber’s office.
Addressing the reception, Ahsan Bakhtawari said that APP was Pakistan’s esteemed news organization that adhered to journalistic principles. It had trained many professional journalists, who had earned a name at the global level, he added.
The ICCI president said that APP had established itself as a professional news agency which was carrying out the duty of protecting the national interests and ideological frontiers both at international and national levels.
Ahsan Bakhtawri said that APP and the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry had a multi-faceted collaboration. The Agency had always performed best role for the sustainable economic development of the country.
He said that the ICCI acknowledged and appreciated the role played by the media for economic and business progress in the country. Ahsan Bakhtawri said that the ICCI, like every year, had forwarded its proposals for the Budget 2024-25 to the Ministry of Finance and the government would hopefully accept them.
He urged the government to consult with the business community and establish joint committees at the district level to widen the tax net, besides applying the law of punishment and penalty against the tax evaders.
The National Tax Number (NTN) should be made mandatory for opening a bank account, besides sale and purchase of property and vehicles, he added. An amnesty scheme should be introduced in the budget for non-filers for bringing them into the tax net, besides the economy should be fully documented, he suggested.
The ICCI president also called for introducing incentives and financial packages in the budget to attract investors. He said an industrial emergency should be declared by reducing energy prices to increase exports.
The energy prices should be brought at par with other countries in the region to reduce the cost of production, he added He said that the process of privatization of government institutions suffering from billions of rupees loss should be accelerated. The government should speed up the process of reforms in the Federal Board of Revenue and ensure the implementation of a track and trace system, he added.
APP Managing Director Asim Kachhi, in his remarks, appreciated the services of the ICCI for the business community. He said that the role of chambers was very important in the country’s economy, while the media helped in creating a conducive economic and business environment.
APP Employees Union President Khizer Zaman Malik said that fairness, transparency and accountability were very important for the economic recovery and development of the country’s economy.
He also stressed on the need for economic reforms. Khizer Malik thanked ICCI President Ahsan Bakhtawari for organizing a prestigious function in honour of APP Employees Union. He also shed light on the role of the Employees Union and its social and economic aspects.
Former ICCI president Zafar Bakhtawari on the occasion congratulated the newly elected body of the APP Employees Union. ICCI President greets newly-elected body of APP Employees Union APP Employees Union Secretary Raja Nadeem, Director Human Resource Rashid Malik, senior journalist Shajeel Rao, Yawar Abbas and executive and governing body members of APP Employees Union also spoke on the occasion.
