President, Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) Muhammad Ishaq has said the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector contributed enormously toward economic sustainability and growth, so it should be uplifted to an optimal level. Talking to the SCCI’s former presidents, business delegations and government high officials, he observed the business community had played a pivotal role in the economic development of the country by paying taxes. In return, he urged the government to provide them with special incentives.

Ishaq said SCCI was a representative forum of the traders’ community and made efforts toward an amicable resolution of their issues. Traders played an important role in sustainable economic growth, he said, adding that SCCI members would make every effort to praovide relief to the flood and terrorism-hit business community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. He demanded the government frame economic policies in consultation with the chamber and relevant stakeholders and sector-specific experts to stabilize the national economy. He linked economic prosperity with a prosperous business community.

The SCCI president said that businessmen were ready to cooperate with relevant government departments to stabilize the country’s fragile economy. Earlier, the business community delegations congratulated Muhammad Ishaq, Shahid Hussain and Ejaz Afridi for taking charge of their respective offices for the next term. The delegations’ members included former presidents Faud Ishaq, Faiz Muhammad Faizi, Sherbaz Bilour, former senior vice president Engr Manzoor Elahi, Executive Member Abdul Hakim Shinwari, Afghan Commercial Attache in Peshawar Hamidullah Himat, SMEDA provincial chief Rashid Aman, SMEDA Finance Manager Sohail Jan, former president Haripur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Attaur Rehman, Central Tanzeem-e-Tajaraan Provincial President Mian Sharafat Ali Mubarak, traders and others. SCCI Senior Vice President Shahid Hussain and Vice President Ejaz Khan Afridi were also present during the meeting.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk