Serious energy crisis is taking a heavy toll on the overall economy and government should focus on building small dams in the country to produce cheap energy in order to facilitate the growth of business and industry, said Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ICCI) President Muzzamil Sabri.
The handing and taking over ceremony was held at Chambers House in the presence of a large number of business community where Sabri took over as the new ICCI head.
Addressing on the occasion, Sabri said that self-sufficiency in energy was indispensable for better economic development and government should give top priority to exploiting maximum hydro potential of the country as Pakistan has great scope to produce cheap hydro energy by building small dams.
The ICCI president said that Pakistan was endowed with considerable hydropower potential as by building dams on a number of suitable sites available on Jhelum, Swat, Punjkora and ChitralRiver, which should be constructed without wasting further time to meet the growing energy needs of the country.
Sabri said business community and common man were worried at the receipt of excessive electricity bills and prime minister of Pakistan has issued instructions for adjustment of overbilling in next bills. Therefore, relevant departments should ensure implementation of PM’s directions.
Moreover, Sabri also thanked the Founder Group and the local business community for giving him opportunity to work for them and vowed that he would work on a focused agenda to serve the their cause and would develop close coordination with relevant government organizations, FBR, CDA and local administration for seeking early remedy of important issues of trade and industry.
Outgoing ICCI president Shaban Khalid, senior vice president Khalid Chaudhry, vice president Muhammad Ali Mirza, Abdul Rauf, FPCCI Vice President Munawar Mughal, former ICCI presidents Tariq Sadiq, Khalid Javed, Mian Akram Farid, Zubair Ahmed Malik, Mian Shaukat Masud, Khalid Iqbal Malik, Zafar Bakhtawari, Zahid Maqbool, Ishtiaq Qureshi and members of ICCI congratulated the new office bearers on taking over charge and hoped that they would make utmost efforts for promoting the interests of business community.