March 18, 2006	Saturday	Safar 17, 1427

LAHORE, March 17: All chambers of commerce and industry in Punjab have decided to forward joint budget proposals to the government from the forum of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The decision was made at a meeting of the presidents of all chambers of commerce and industry here on Friday. The meeting was jointly chaired by LCCI President Mian Shafqat Ali and Punjab’s Investment Secretary Saeed Alvi. It was also attended by LCCI Senior Vice-President Abdul Basit, Vice-President Aftab Ahmad Vohra, former presidents Mian Anjum Nisar, Mian Misbahur Rehman, former senior vice-president Sohail Lashari, former vice-president Sheikh Mohammad Arshad and presidents of Sheikhupura, Sahiwal, Faisalabad, Multan, Bahawalpur, Sargodha and Rawalpindi chambers of commerce and industry.

Representatives of all the chambers also handed over their proposals based on general comments about taxation and other issues and proposals specifically dealing with their local problems. These suggestions would be incorporated in proposals formulated by the LCCI to prepare a comprehensive set of suggestions to provide an insight to the CBR and government of problems being faced by the business community and look for their redressal in the budget for the next fiscal year.

It was decided that a combined website of all the chambers would be developed with single web address to address members’ inquiries relating to sales tax, income tax and customs. —APP