PESHAWAR: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz on Sunday welcomed the reopening of the Chaman-Spinboldak border.
He, however, demanded the cross-border movement of goods trucks at the Torkham border.
Speaking to a delegation of traders at the Chamber House, he termed the reopening of Pakistan-Afghan border at Chaman was a right step of the government under the prevailing circumstances.
“The reopening will not only give further boost to bilateral trade and economic activities in the border region, but will also avoid further financial losses to the business community,” Perviaz said.
The SCCI chief called upon the government to allow movement of trucks, loaded with perishable and other goods items and stranded at Torkham for many days due to closure of the border.
Expressing concern over meager cut in policy rate announced by the State Bank of Pakistan, Pervaiz said the reduction in interest rate was not justifiable as business and trade activities were getting adversely affected after outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
He urged the government to immediately reduce policy interest rate to single digit level in order to save businesses from the negative impact of the virus.
The SCCI chief said the electricity and gas were main source to keep the wheel of manufacturing units running, but constant hike in power and gas rates was a major hurdle in industrial growth in the country.
He urged the government to reduce rates of electricity and gas to give boost to industrialisation and to generate more employment opportunities.
The chamber’s president also urged the central bank to re-schedule the disbursement of loans, which were given to business institutions in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
