“Industrialisation is the way forward to strengthen the country’s economy and we are working vigorously for an industrial estate in this region to encourage new investment and create jobs,” said Kalsoom Perveen, senator and chairperson of Senate’s Standing Committee on Cabinet Secretariat, while addressing business community at Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI).
Perveen said 75 percent work in Village Noon, which is the designated place for Industrial Estate in Islamabad has been done and soon the rest of the work will be completed to acquire land for the industrial estate.
She said ICCI should give its plan of action for industrial estate to take it up CDA for materialisation of this long-standing and important project. She assured that business community will be taken on board regarding CDA matters to address their concerns.
Perveen said that the creation of small traders’ chambers through Trade Organization Act 2013 was not a good move as it would divide the business community while we need to strengthen the existing Chambers of Commerce for promoting Pakistan’s trade and economic interests.
The senator said constitutional amendments made in 2013 will be reviewed and business community’s input will also be sought for this purpose. She vowed to play her role for enactment of a balanced Rent Restriction Act in Islamabad. She said we want to work with chambers to improve the economy and added that all problems of business community can be resolved with good vision and strong will power.
Speaking on the occasion, ICCI President Shaban Khalid briefed the senator about the importance of a new industrial estate in this region. He said ICCI is pursuing this project since 2005 with CDA as existing industrial estates have saturated and also surrounded by residential areas. Therefore, a new industrial estate in an environment-friendly location was the need of the hour for investment, industrialisation and employment generation. He stressed that CDA’s master plan should be reviewed in consultation with all stakeholders and CDA’s bylaws should also be revisited to cater to the current needs of business and industry. CDA should open trade change as current ban on trade change is discouraging new investment and growth of business activities.