The Pakistan Economy Watch (PEW) on Tuesday said new rules framed to create chambers for women, small traders and cottage industry should be flexible enough to attract the business community. Some clauses in the Trade Organisation Bill 2013 approved by the joint committee of the National Assembly and Senate Standing Committees on Commerce recently will only benefit the business community if it is widely accepted, it said. The current set of rules may prove unappealing for majority of businessmen leaving the whole exercise counterproductive, said PEW President Dr Murtaza Mughal. The legislation for setting up business chambers in every district of the country will only benefit millions of small traders and businesswomen if conditions are relaxed, he said. Dr Mughal said the condition of 150 members for a chamber and 100 members for women’s chambers having a valid National Tax Number (NTN) would be difficult to meet in some small districts.
