PBF to address business concerns

Presidents of 16 chambers of commerce and industries of Punjab have formally announced the formation of “Punjab Business Forum” in a meeting held at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat here on Saturday. Representatives of commerce and industry along with prominent businessmen attended the meeting, chaired by Chief Minister’s Special Initiatives Entity Chairman Haroon Khawaja. Secretary Industries Punjab Dr Shujaat Ali Khan and concerned officials from the Finance Department, Police, PEPCO and SNGPL were also present. Sialkot CCI Former President Hassan Ali Bhatti has been elected as the first Chairman of PBF while Rawalpindi CCI Former President Assad Mashdi has been elected as Vice Chairman. Presidents of all Chambers of Commerce and Industry from Punjab will be members of the General Body of the PBF along with PIEDMC Chairman SM Tanvir, CCI Former President M. Ali Mian, PIEDMC & PSIC Director Nabeel Hashmi and Executive Committee LCCI Member Ibrahim Quraishi. The Punjab Business Forum, an independent and non-political body, would focus on organising the business community of the province in order to identify genuine problems faced by the fraternity along with practical solutions. The forum intends to act as a bridge between the business community and government and is geared towards assisting the process of policy formulation. This would ensure outcomes that kick start economic activity in the country, generate employment, collect taxes and remove unnecessary red-tape and other hurdles being faced by the business community. Chief Minister’s Special Initiatives Entity Chairman Haroon Khawaja assured the business leaders of his full and continued support to the community and appreciated the initiative taken by business leaders in formation of the Punjab Business Forum. “The Government of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is committed to provision of a business friendly atmosphere in the province. We welcome the formation of the Punjab Business Forum and hope that this body will play a meaningful role in suggesting practical solutions, worthy of consideration at policy making level,” he said. Speaking on the occasion the newly elected Chairman Hassan Ali Bhatti said that Punjab Business Forum will play an active role in accelerating the industrial and trading activities in the province of Punjab. “We are indeed thankful to the Chief Minister Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif, for his untiring efforts in pleading the Punjab’s case at all levels. We also appreciate the facilitation provided by the Chief Minister’s Office in creating this non-political and independent forum. This effort will go a long way in giving a meaningful direction to the business community of the province,” he observed. The meeting decided that each chamber shall nominate three of its best candidates to be interviewed and, if selected, groomed for future leadership of the business community. It was also decided that each of the sixteen chambers of Punjab would submit three major issues and/or problems being faced by them and delegate PBF, liaise with the provincial government for their resolution on a priority basis.