Kohat Chamber urges special economic package, tax relief for southern KP

KOHAT, Sep 21 (APP):A delegation of the Kohat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), led by President Rasheed Ahmad Paracha, called on Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and presented proposals for the economic, industrial and commercial revival of Kohat and adjoining districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The delegation emphasized that sustainable peace required not only effective security measures but also greater focus on employment, local investment and economic development. It said traders and industrialists in Kohat and neighboring southern districts had suffered from prolonged insecurity and economic challenges, contributing to a growing sense of deprivation in the region.

The KCCI delegation sought a special economic package, tax relief and investment incentives for the southern districts. Its key demands included reduction in toll rates at the Kohat Tunnel, provision of natural gas at controlled rates in line with local production laws, relocation of the power feeder closer to the Small Industrial Estate Kohat, and establishment of a regional office of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) in Kohat.

The delegation also proposed initiatives for value addition and exports of local products, investment in solar energy, minerals, industry and agriculture, and establishment of climate-controlled sheds and a seed testing and research laboratory for vegetable seed production. Attaullah Tarar expressed concern over recent security incidents in Kohat and paid tribute to the sacrifices of the martyrs, assuring the delegation that law enforcement agencies were working to restore peace and order. He stressed institutional coordination to address public grievances and promote national development, while Paracha said security efforts should be complemented by job creation, investment, industrial development and greater local authority to ensure long-term stability.