ISLAMABAD, July 15: Interior Minister Moinuddin Haider on Monday directed the police to take concrete security measures to avoid incidents of dacoities in business centres of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

Speaking at a joint meeting of Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) in the ministry, he directed the police and the CDA to help businessmen solve their problems and protect their lives and work places.

The minister reviewed the problems of traders and matters regarding law and order in the capital. He directed the relevant authorities to remove all hurdles affecting the business activities.

He ordered the CDA to resolve the problems of business community regarding construction of a display centre, businessmen club, industrial plots, change of trade fee etc.

The minister also asked the authority to build a slaughter house in Islamabad and hand it over to Jamiatul Quresh, the representative body of butchers.

Responding to a request of the business community, the minister said, in future, only those organizations or individuals would be allowed to stage industrial exhibitions in the capital, who acquired a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the ICCI.

“No body will be allowed to use the title of ‘Industrial Exhibition’ except the ICCI. However, other organizations can use the title of ‘Fair’ or ‘Meena Bazaar’ if they hold such exhibitions,” Mr Haider said.

He said time limit for industrial exhibition should be 45 days and the CDA would have to consult with the ICCI in all matters concerning such events.

Meanwhile, the ICCI founder group chairman, Shahid Rashid Butt, ICCI president Munawar Mughal and Babar Rashi apprised the minister about increasing crime rate in trade and industrial areas. The minister assured them that the government would take strict action to check robberies in trade centres. He added that the accused involved in an incident of robbery in Rashi Textile Mill would be sent behind bars very soon.

Speaking on the occasion, the CDA chairman, Mir Laiq Shah, said the authority was improving the situation of different departments and would support the businessmen to boost business activities in the capital.

“We have approved the site plan of the ICCI’s display centre and now the chamber can build this centre according to the approved plan,” he added.

Others who attended the meeting included interior ministry joint secretary Malik Arshad, Inspector General Islamabad police Maj Akram, SSP Rawalpindi Murrwat Shah, former president of Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mian Habib Ullah, the ICCI members Malik Zubair, Ijaz Abbasi, Sohail Malik, Muzammal Sabri, Malik Saghir, Tariq Wani, Khurshid Rashi, Babar Rashi and Tariq Ikram.