PESHAWAR: An endeavour to attract investment and building a favourable business climate under the vision of Prime’s Minister Imran Khan of ease of doing business, the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) in collaboration with Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (SMEDA) has formally launched a web-portal, called the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Investment Facilitation Centre (KP-IFC).
The idea of KPIFC was conceived by SCCI, with the notion to promote investment and resolve business community through digitization means under one window operation service, which is also a testimonial and reflection of PM’s vision and efforts toward Ease of Doing Business (EoDB).
In this regard, a formal launching ceremony was held in a local hotel on Thursday, which was chaired by SCCI President Sherbaz Bilour. The participants thanked the UNDP and USAID for extending financial and technical support informal execution of the KPIFC project.
The provincial ministers Shaukat Ali Yousafzai, Mian Khaliqeer Rehman, Muhammad Atif Khan, Shah Muhammad Khan, MNA Zile Huma, SMEDA Provincial Chief Rashid Aman, ANP parliamentary leader, Sadar Hussain Babak were in attendance on the occasion.
Besides, the Chamber Senior Vice President Engineer Manzoor Elahi, Vice President Junaid Altaf, former president FPCCI Ghazanfar Bilour, former president Malik Niaz Ahmad, Faiz Muhammad Faizi, Engr Maqsood Anwar Pervaiz, former vice president Abdul Jalil Jan, executive members Syed Minhajuddin, Muhammad Aurangzeb, Zahoor Khan, UNDP Sub-office representative Tania, heads of different government institutions, high officials and representatives relevant stakeholders were also present in the launching event.
The SMEDA CEO Hashim Raza and UNDP Deputy Resident Representative Ms Aliona Niculita participated in the ceremony through a video link.
Bilour while speaking on the occasion said the launching of KPIFC is a step toward ease of doing business and creating a favourable business environment to attract investment in the province. He expressed hope that the SCCI initiative would play a pivotal role in the resolution of business community and investors issues under one roof.
He, on the occasion, stressed the need for regional trade and building close linkages between the business community, government and academia for framing sustainable policies and creating more job opportunities in the province.
He informed me that a digital economy committee will be formed at the SCCI level very soon. He extended special gratitude to UNDP and USAID for extending financial assistance for the KPIFC project.
Later, speaking on the occasion, the provincial ministers widely hailed the joint initiative of SCCI and SMEDA for attracting investment in the province. They said the incumbent government was taking pragmatic steps to facilitate the business community at every level.
The provincial ministers said the country’s economy has put them in the right direction owing to the prudent policies of the present government. They viewed that the steps have been taken to provide a congenial atmosphere to investors under the PM’s vision of ease of doing business and assured the SCCI to extend full cooperation to make this important initiative a success.
The KP ministers furthermore lauded the role of business community contribution towards economic development as what they said if the businessmen would be prosperous, so the country’s economy would be flourished as well.
The present government, they added, was adopting a policy to facilitate the business community to boost up investment and improve the national economy.
