ICCI calls for redress of Trade License and Board Tax issues

Islamabad, January 24, 2017 (PPI-OT): Khalid Iqbal Malik, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called upon the CDA to resolve the long standing issues of trade license and board tax of traders as these were creating problems for growth of business activities. He said this while presiding over a meeting of ICCI Traders Welfare Committee. Khalid Mehmood Chaudhry Chairman Committee, Khalid Malik Senior Vice President ICCI, Muhammad Ejaz Abbasi, Chairman ICCI CDA Committee, Zafar Bakhtawari, former President ICCI, Ajmal Baloch President Anjuman-e-Tijaran Pakistan and representatives of various markets were also present at the occasion.

Khalid Iqbal Malik said that CDA has increased its fees unilaterally without taking representatives of traders into confidence, which was unjustified. He appealed to Chairman CDA Sheikh Anser Aziz and Director Municipal Administration CDA Capt. ® Shahbaz to resolve the trade license and board tax issues on urgent basis as small traders were badly suffering due to these problems.

Muhammad Ejaz Abbasi, Chairman, ICCI CDA Committee said that board tax issue was settled 2 years ago as CDA had agreed to charge board tax fee @ Rs.60/per sq yard but the contractor of CDA did not agree to this settlement. He said traders were still ready to pay board tax fee at the previously agreed rate and stressed that CDA should honor its earlier settlement.

Khalid Chaudhry, Chairman, ICCI Traders Welfare Committee said that Capt. ® Shahbaz, Director Municipal Administration was cooperating with the traders and was serious in resolving their issues, but some unkown hands were creating problems for him. He said Director Municipal Administration would be invited to ICCI to take up these issues.

Speaking at the occasion, Khalid Malik, Senior Vice President ICCI and Zafar Bakhtawari, former President ICCI said that government had appointed a businessman as Mayor Islamabad and Chairman CDA but bureaucracy was creating hurdles for him due to which he was constrained to resolve issues of business community. They were afraid that if the Chairman could not succeed in his efforts, business activities would badly suffer and businessmen would be forced to explore other options for redress of their issues.

Zahid Qureshi, Fiaz Raja, Muhammad Ashfaq Chatha, Ch. Abdul Ghaffar, Abid Khan, Ch. Nadeem, Ch. Irfan, Muhammad Hussain and others also spoke at the occasion.

For more information, contact:
Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI)
Chamber House, Aiwan-e-Sanat-o-Tijarat Road,
Mauve Area, G-8/1,
Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +9251 225 0526, 2253145, 8432676
Fax: +9251 225 2950
Email: icci@brain.net.pk
Website: www.icci.com.pk