Events

Investment Facilitation (IFC) project

04 August 2021

Businessmen, representatives/officials from federal and provincial governments have praised the idea of setting up Investment Facilitation Centre/web portal and gave proposals to further modify the action plan for execution of the IFC – Investment Facilitation Centre project, terming the initiative was a first step toward digital transformation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa investment.

They, expressed, these views during a one-day consultative workshop of public sector stakeholders tiled: “Initiative for Digital Transformation in KP Investment Facilitation (IFC), Web portal, a joint venture of Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda) under UNDP FERP project funded by USAID, held here at the chamber house on Wednesday.

SCCI president Sherbaz Bilour presided over the session while Smeda provincial chief Rashid Aman acted as moderator on the occasion.

Besides, the chamber senior vice president Engr Manzoor Elahi, WSSP CEO Dr Hassan Nasir, Additional Secretary Local government, senior officials from more than 32 federal and provincial relevant departments participated in the session.

The participants praised the initiative of establishing the Investment Facilitation Centre/Web portal and gave a number of ideas and proposals to further modify the action plan for the IFC.

Sherbaz Bilour while speaking on the occasion said that the IFC/Web portal is a first step towards promotion of sustainable business environment, investment and resolve of the business community in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The SCCI on the occasion, fully assured that the project would be implemented with joint cooperation of federal and provincial governments’ relevant departments and stakeholders.

He added the project is an effort under the PM Vision’s for Ease of Doing Business in the country, through which, investment would not only be attracted, besides business community issues can be resolved by taking up with relevant departments in an effective manner.

Sherbaz Bilour stressed that the promotion of public-private partnership is essential for sustainable economic growth, businesses and investment in the province.

He expressed satisfaction that Pakistan has jumped from 136 to 108 in Ease of Doing Business index mostly based on EoDB evaluation of Karachi and Lahore. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has little or no indication despite having immense potential, resources and the locational advantage of proximity to Afghanistan and Central Asian Republics (CARs), he noted.

The chamber president informed that SCCI signed a MoU with Uzbekistan and Surkhandarya chambers of commerce and industry, during the recent visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan. SCCI will sign MoUs with all the CARs and will convert transit and bilateral trade of all CARs to Pakistani ports of Gwadar, Karachi and Port Qasim from Bandar Abbas of Iran, he informed. He expressed hope that the SCCI initiative will provide Pakistani traders access to the new central Asian market.

Earlier, the SCCI VP Engr Manzoor Elahi appreciated the active participation of the government officials in the consultative session and constructive proposals from them. He hoped that the project will soon be executed in joint collaboration of government relevant departments and stakeholders.

NEWS