PESHAWAR: 3 chambers for trade, industry proposed: Women plan separate body
By Mohammad Ali Khan
PESHAWAR, July 17: At least three new chambers of commerce and industry, including one meant exclusively for women entrepreneurs, will be set up in the NWFP after implementation of the newly-promulgated Trade Organisations Ordinance 2007.
Following the establishment of the three chambers, one each in Kohat and Malakand and one for women entrepreneurs, the total number of registered chambers in the province will reach nine.
At present six chambers are operating in the NWFP — namely, the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Dera Ismail Khan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Haripur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Abbottabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mardan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Tribal Areas Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Under the new law, which governs trade associations and chambers, official sanction may be given for the establishment of a body representing traders, industrialists and service providers in an area not less than the revenue district and with a minimum of 300 prospective members on its rolls.
Moreover, the territorial jurisdiction of a women’s chamber, as per the new law, will be the province, provided that the federal government grants licences to more than one women’s chambers in a province if the proposal for such a chamber meets the membership criterion as defined in the rules along with other conditions prescribed for such a body.
Malak Mohammad Asad, who is currently mobilising the business community in Kohat for setting up a chamber of commerce there, told Dawn that they had at least 650 registered members which was more than the required number of members envisaged under the new law.
He explained that huge reserves of oil, gas and minerals in Kohat and in its adjoining districts, including Karak, Bannu, Hangu and the semi-tribal areas of Darra Adamkhel, would be the main driving force for future business activities in the area for which the formation of a chamber was necessary.
Mr Asad said that particulars of the members were being compiled and soon an application for obtaining the licence will be filed with the director-general of trade organisations.
The business community of the defunct Malakand division also wanted to get a licence for a chamber, as an application along with the list of prospective members had already been sent to the authorities concerned, said Ahmad Khan, a businessman of the area.
The list of prospective members, according to him, comprised people belonging to Swat, Dir, Malakand and Shangla districts, representing both the industry and trade sectors. Main secretariat of the chamber would be set up in Swat, he said.
Similarly, Ms Farah Naz was coordinating activities for obtaining a licence for the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the NWFP. Ms Naz told Dawn that they had more than 200 prospective members from across the province.
The federal government has extended the cut-off date for filing applications for licences for trade organisations from June 30 to July 31, following which the formation of new trade bodies will begin. All the existing six chambers of commerce and industry have applied for renewal of their licences.
