ISLAMABAD ( Web News )
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), called on the CDA to intensify efforts for developing Aabpara Market as a model market of the federal capital, which would boost trade activities. He said that Aabpara market is one of the primary markets of Islamabad so there is a need to develop it on modern lines to give it the status of model market. He expressed these views while addressing a reception held in ICCI in honor of the newly elected Office Bearers of Traders Welfare Association of Aabpara Market. Aabpara Market’s newly elected President Ajmal Baloch, Secretary General Akhtar Abbasi, Senior Vice President Shafiq Abbasi, Vice President Muhammad Abbas, Chairman Ali Asghar alias Mani Butt, Vice Chairman Musab Khan, Additional Secretary General Chaudhry Muhammad Siddique, Joint Secretary Tariq Mahmood Awan, Secretary Information Abu Bakar Chaudhry, Secretary Finance Sardar Shaukat Mehmood Awan and others were in the delegation. Former Senior Vice President ICCI Khalid Chaudhry performed the role of Stage Secretary.
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan said that the establishment of an expo center in Islamabad was urgently needed for better promotion of trade and exports in the region, so the government should build an expo center in Islamabad on priority basis. He said that the decision to close businesses two days a week due to coronavirus should be reconsidered and more attention should be paid to vaccination while the business community would extend full cooperation in this regard. He said that lease issues of traders are still unresolved and CDA should focus on resolving them. He said that construction of additional storey should be allowed in markets, which is necessary for better promotion of business activities. He congratulated Ajmal Baloch and other office bearers of TWA Abpara on their victory in the elections and hoped that they would play an active role in resolving the problems of traders while ICCI will co-operate with them in such endeavours.
ICCI Senior Vice President Fatima Azim and Vice President Abdul Rehman Khan congratulated the newly elected Traders Association of Apbara Market and expressed good wishes for them. He said that the National Assembly has already passed the bill of rent control act for Islamabad and the government should also arrange its passage unanimously from the Senate so that this long standing issue of traders can be resolved.
Ajmal Baloch, newly elected President of Traders Welfare Association Aabpara Market, speaking at the occasion said that construction of multi-storey car park was urgently needed to solve the parking issues in Aabpara market so CDA should intensify efforts in this regard. He said that multi-storey car parking could be constructed at the land of farmer GTS Bus Station or green area. He also expressed concern over the FBR’s attempt to install a POS system in shops and said that the government should refrain from this move and instead encourage a self-assessment scheme which would improve tax revenue. He further said that the business community plays a key role in the development of the economy so the government should try to address their key issues on priority basis. He thanked President ICCI and his team for arranging a reception in honor of the newly elected office bearers of Aabpara Market.
Office Bearers of various markets including Altaf Butt, Chaudhry Nadeem ud Din, Raj Abbasi, Mehboob Khan, Shahid Abbasi, Malik Mohsin Khalid, Chaudhry Irfan, Zahid Rafique, Akhtar Abbasi, Malik Shabbir, Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, Sheikh Jamshed, Zarif Khan and Saeed Ahmed Bhatti were also present on the occasion.