LAHORE - Business community has sought Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) help for ease in business and to get their genuine issues resolved.
Delegations from different markets and trade & industrial associations called on LCCI President Irfan Iqbal Sheikh, Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar and Vice President Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmad on Saturday and apprised them about the prevailing issues and hoped that the LCCI would use links with the government’s high authorities to the benefits of the business community.
The delegations, which had meeting with the LCCI office-bearers, were Textile Traders Association of Pakistan led by Zeshan Khalil, Shahalam Markazi Board led by Kh Aamir, Ganpat Road Traders Association led by Khamis Saeed Butt, Anjuman-e-Tajran led by Mujahid Maqsood Butt and Engineer Jawed Salim Qureshi, Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council.
The LCCI office-bearers said that businesses could not grow in the presence of cumbersome taxation system, double taxation, high cost of doing business, lack of infrastructure in markets and severe traffic jams. Government should resolve these issues that would be equally good for both businessmen and the government.
“Recent observations by Prime Minister Imran Khan, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Supreme Court of Pakistan regarding business community, trade, industry and economy are a ray of hope”, they said and expressed optimism that business community would get a big relief in days to come. They said that government and private sector were vital for each other.
“Government must develop policies conducive for business environment and address genuine issues of the business community”, they said while stressing the need to reform the taxation system by engaging all the stakeholders. They also called to get rid of the cumbersome taxation system that was hampering the trade and economic activities in the country. They said that teams of Federal Board of Revenue should approach relevant association for the survey for filers and non-filers instead of taking direct actions.
It would help much needed trust building between private sector and the government. The LCCI office-bearers also called for construction of parking plazas at different parts of the city to overcome the parking issues.
