PESHAWAR - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI) will hold 16th Business Excellence Awards ceremony for 2016-17 in the month of August in Turkey.

Speaking at a news conference here on Wednesday, the president of the KPCCI Zahidullah Shinwari informed that the event was aimed at acknowledging the achievements of the business community. He said that the awards ceremony would be held from August 8 to 10 in Istanbul, where Governor of Istanbul would be the host, while mayor of Istanbul would be guest of honour.

Flanked by FPCCI president Ghazanfar Bilour, chairman of the Award Committee, Adeel Rauf, chamber’s former presidents, members of executive committee, industrialists, and traders, Shinwari said that the holding of ceremony in Turkey aims at developing a soft image of the Pakistan in rest of the world, saying Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is safe and viable destination for local and foreign investments. Besides, he said, an investment conference will also be organised to display the potential of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Award committee chairman Adeel Rauf, while explaining the criteria and procedure of the event, said that thirteen gold medals would be awarded in four sectors, which included four gold medals for industries, two for construction sector, three for commercial and two each for services and retailer sectors. The committee chairman said that in the industrial sector, four gold medals would be awarded to the best investor, best exporter and largest tax or sales tax payer. He said the two gold medals would be given on project value. He said that in commercial sector, three gold medals would be awarded in export and taxation sector, and in retail and service sector two gold medals would be awarded each in taxation sector.

Rauf said that award would be given on the total export (industrial/commercial) as per growth in the turnover of last year’s figure. He said that this year it was decided to give three awards in telecom sector.

He said that an award would be given on Social Philanthropy Activity (SPA) to firms/companies or business houses. He said the young entrepreneur and female entrepreneur would also be awarded.

In the banking sector, four awards will be given under the category of KPCCI Bank of the Province and three in Islamic banking, said Rauf. He said awards would also be given in the special categories that will be included new item export (industrial/commercial), new destination (industrial/commercial), and new venture (industrial/commercial/retail).