PESHAWAR - The Executive Committee of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) has demanded the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government exempt the traders affected by ongoing Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project from all provincial taxes for next three-years.

The demand was made through a unanimous resolution adopted in a meeting of the Executive Committee held under the SCCI president Faiz Muhammad in chair at the chamber house on Saturday. Besides the Chamber vice president, Haris Mufti, former president Zahidullah Shinwari, and executive committee members were also present during the meeting.

The resolution also sought the action against responsible for ignoring representation of the chamber through its nominated members in the KP-EZDMC, KP-BOIT, TEVTA and other concerned boards, besides non-provision of gas connections to industries on priority basis. It also expressed apprehension about delay in implementation of the SCCI proposed industrial policy in the province.

The executive committee decided to make further strong coordination with other chambers to resolve issues of the business community in an efficient manner. In the meeting, a committee was constituted for awarding a Business Excellence Award for next year, which will be headed by SCCI former president Zahid Shinwari.

The committee members also expressed concern over a gradual decline in the mutual trade between Pakistan and Afghanistan and impediments in Pak-Afghan transit trade. It urged upon both the governments, especially Afghanistan to resolve the issues of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa exporters and traders on priority basis to enhance the bilateral trade volume between the two neighboring countries.

In this regard, the meeting decided that a delegation of the SCCI will hold meeting with the Federal Minister for Commerce, Abdul Razzaq Dawood to apprise him about the present hurdles in the Pak-Afghan bilateral trade. The meeting also expressed serious concerns over lack of facilities at Peshawar Dry-port. It was demanded for the early completion of new dry-port at Azakhel and make it operational.

SCCI president Faiz Muhammad while speaking on the occasion demanded of the provincial government to exempt traders affected by the ongoing BRT project, from all provincial taxes for next three-years.

He stressed the need to device a comprehensive traffic management plan to control over the traffic mess due to the BRT project, in provincial metropolis Peshawar.