ISLAMABAD, Nov 08 (APP): President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari on Wednesday leading a delegation, met with the Irfan Siddiqui, Chairman, Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training and discussed with him the contours of a future economic policy for the country.
Senior Vice President, Faad Waheed, Engineer Azhar ul Islam Zafar Vice President ICCI, Zafar Bakhtawari Former President and Secretary General UBG Pakistan and Rizwan Chheena Executive Member ICCI included in the delegation.
Addressing the delegation, the Senator that the business community was the major stakeholder in the development of the economy and he would raise their key issues at every relevant forum for their redressal.
He welcomed the proposals of the delegation for future economic policy, promoting entrepreneurship among the youth to make them skilled and professional and assured that the proposals would be discussed in the committee meetings so that they could be considered for implementation.
He also appreciated the suggestions of the delegation to make the manifesto of PML-N business friendly and assured that if PML-N comes to power, it will take measures to facilitate them in business development.
Speaking on the occasion, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari urged the government to urgently privatize all loss-making SOEs including PIA, Pakistan Steel Mills and Pakistan Railways to reduce its fiscal deficit.
He proposed that the government should work for the establishment of a common market of OIC, SAARC and Shanghai Cooperation Organization to promote regional trade.
He said that youth were the future of Pakistan, so it was necessary to adapt the educational curriculum according to the needs of the current age to prepare skilled and professional youth.
It would improve their employ ability, promote business activities and put the economy on the path of sustainable development.
He said that the students joining organizations were found deficient in practical work, so he suggested that the university students should be bound to work as interns in the industries in the last year of their education program to gain practical experience and play an active role in the development of industrial sector.
Faad Waheed, Senior Vice President ICCI, said that the current tax system was quite complex due to which new taxpayers were not motivated, so he emphasized the need to bring necessary reforms in the tax system to expand the tax net.
Azhar ul Islam Zafar, Vice President ICCI highlighted the importance of the construction industry in the development of the economy, which was currently facing many problems.
He shared useful suggestions to provide better incentives to the construction sector for its better growth.
Zafar Bakhtawari, Former President ICCI and Secretary General UBG Pakistan highlighted the importance of trade with neighboring countries for Pakistan, which could promote trade and exports in better way.
He also shared useful ideas for facilitating the local investors.