ISLAMABAD: A delegation of small chambers gave a briefing about problems faced by small traders to the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) on Monday and urged the body to take up the issue with the government.

FPCCI Chairman Qurban Ali and Chief Coordinator Mirza Abdul Rehman assured members of the delegation that they would meet the minister for finance, ministers concerned and officials for all possible cooperation.

The delegations shared their concerns during the meeting and added that the Covid-19 pandemic was causing business loss, while Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) officials were harassing small traders.

“FBR was humiliating small traders,” Sheikh Asif Iqbal, founding president of Sargodha Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industries, said and asked FPCCI leaders to play their role in solving problems of small businesses as they were the backbone of the economy.

Members of the delegation also highlighted that the procedure for providing loans was so strict that any trader would be reluctant to take a loan on the basis of these conditions.

Members of the delegation were Mandi Bahauddin Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industries President SM Haider Raza Naqvi and the president Women Entrepreneur Sadia Zafar, Mandi Bahauddin Small Chamber Vice President Mian Zahid Patiala, Sargodha Chamber Vice President Sheikh Sher Dil, EC members Imtiaz Ahmed, Sheikh Bilal Zafar, Mohammad Zeeshan, Sheikh Wasim Raees, Sheikh Sarfraz, Uzma Shehbaz and Tehseen Fatima.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2021