May 09, 2008	Friday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 3, 1429

ISLAMABAD, May 8: The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has proposed the stock exchanges to establish trading floors in Peshawar and Quetta.

SECP Chairman Razi ur Rehman told Dawn that the commission had proposed extension of trading floors while considering expanding investor base and to provide a level-playing field to investors based in NWFP and Balochistan.

He said that the Islamabad Stock Exchange (ISE) had already established a trading floor at Peshawar and allotted 14 offices of its own as well as Lahore and Islamabad stock exchanges.

The KSE has agreed to establish a mini-trading floor at Peshawar.

The mini-trading floor shall include all necessary infrastructures for trading and settlement along with a live market display system through the electronic boards to be installed in the trading floors.

A KSE representative in Peshawar has been deputed to indicate suitable premises, subsequent to which the KSE would prepare necessary budget and submit a firm proposal to the commission, along with timelines for completion of the project.

Mr Razi said the SECP, along with other stakeholders, was in the process of setting up a capital market institute which will conduct various examinations leading to certification for different segments of the capital market.

This institute will be a separate legal entity, and shall function as a non-profit association, registered under the Companies Ordinance, 1984.

The institute will also seek to obtain an affiliation with a reputed international university or similar body.

The “Capital Market Institute” will set standards of know-how in the financial market and provide a reasonable level of comfort to investors in their dealings with the market participants.