KOHAT: The Kohat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KTCCI) has demanded of the government to establish an import-export zone in Parachinar for boosting trade in the region.

A KTCCI delegation, led by its president Malik Asad Khan, raised the demand during its meeting with additional secretary of the federal ministry of commerce Azhar Ali Chaudhry in Islamabad on Thursday.

According to a KTCCI press release, Mr Asad also discussed with the secretary the problems being faced by the businessmen of Kohat. He also referred to the vast natural resources of coal, oil, gas and gypsum in Kohat which were already helping the economy and asked for taking maximum advantage of them.

The delegation included secretary general of KTCCI Faiq Shah, Rasheed Ahmed, executive members, Ibraheem Tanzeel of Kohat Cement Factory, deputy general manager of Kohat Textile Mills and Abdul Khaliq.

They discussed economic growth in the region with the additional secretary.

They said that Afghanistan held the strategic position through which central Asian states could be reached by India through Pakistan.

They said that with the establishment of Parachinar export and import zone on the border with Afghanistan the area would generate jobs for the people. This would also help in boosting the economy of the region.

They suggested that establishment of power plants was very economical in the oil- and gas-rich Shakardarra in Kohat area and coal-rich Darra Adamkhel and Orakzai Agency. They said that gypsum was being wasted in the region and the government should utilise it.

They also called on Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Shoban Khalid. They suggested starting joint ventures to take advantage of oil and gas facilities in Kohat. The ICCI official said that they would raise the matter with other chambers and the government.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2014