ISLAMABAD - The newly-elected office-bearers and executive members of Traders Welfare Association, Jinnah Super Market, Islamabad, have slammed the poor performance of CDA, IESCO and SNGPL, saying these entities are not resolving their key issues due to which they are facing many problems.

During their visit to the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Saturday under the leadership of Association President Qazi Muhammad Ilyas, they spoke about various hardships they were facing. Qazi Muhammad Ilyas said that in case any transformer developed a fault, IESCO would ask traders to pay charges ranging from Rs0.4-million to Rs1 million for its repair.  He said traders were being forced to pay charges even for faulty electricity cables, which was totally unjustified as it was the responsibility of IESCO to repair and maintain its transformers and cables network.

He said streetlights of Jinnah Super Market were not functioning, but CDA was not concerned about it. “Similarly the condition of other civic amenities in the market is very unsatisfactory due to negligence of CDA,” Ilyas said, and added, “CDA and SNGPL dig areas in the market for laying pipelines, but such dug up areas are not filled for days and months causing great inconvenience to the traders as well as customers.”

He stressed that utility service providers should adopt a proactive approach for resolving traders’ issues and facilitate the growth of business activities.

Speaking on the occasion, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) President Atif Ikram Sheikh assured the traders that ICCI would highlight their issues at all relevant forums for their immediate resolution.

He said Chief Executive, IESCO and General Manager, SNGPL would be invited to ICCI in order to find out solutions to the problems of traders.

He also assured that a comprehensive strategy would be chalked out in consultation with market associations for dealing with CDA as the non-cooperative approach of civic body in addressing issues of business community was a major hurdle in the smooth promotion of business activities.

ICCI Vice President Sheikh Abdul Waheed, Founder Group Chairman Khalid Javed, senior member ICCI Khalid Iqbal Malik, former Presidents of ICCI Mian Akram Farid and Muhammad Ejaz Abbasi, TWA Jinnah Super General Secretary Abdul Rehman Siddiqui, TWA Jinnah Super Vice President Rana Shahid and others also spoke on the occasion and stressed that CDA, IESCO, SNGPL and FBR should play their role to facilitate the growth of business in the city.