KOHAT: The Kohat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) has complained that neither the government nor the Board of Investment are providing the required facilities for promotion of industry in the region.

KCCI president Eng Faiq Ali Shah and former president Haji Rasheed Paracha voiced this concern during a meeting with a delegation of Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), which is currently visiting the district to get to know the problems facing the business community and try to resolve them.

The delegation comprised head of the centre for private sector management Ahad Nazeer, consultant for private sector Mujeebur Rehman and project associate for private sector Abdullah Khalid.

Mr Paracha and Mr Ali Shah demanded the provision of gas and electricity to the industrial estates at lower tariffs in less developed areas like the Kohat division for their development.

SDPI delegates visit Kohat to seek input from business community for development of commerce and industry

They pointed out that the southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the most neglected in the industrial sector.

The SDPI delegates said they were seeking inputs from the business community for development of commerce and industry.

BANK OFFERS LOANS: Mr Zubair, the general manager of inclusive development banking (IDB) of the National Bank of Pakistan’s main branch in Kohat, has expressed concern over the fact that the percentage of credit taking by the local business community from the bank was lower than other areas of the country.

Talking to office-bearers of KCCI on Tuesday, he said the bank could offer unlimited loan facilities for industries and big and smallbusinesses.

Former KCCI president Haji Rasheed Paracha told him that the reason behind lower ratio of bank loans was the people of Kohat regarded interest-based loans as a sin. Moreover, he said as businesses and industry were operating at low profit margins, they feared they would be unable to pay huge interest and loan instalments.

Mr Zubair suggested starting sessions with the business community to lure them towards launching loan-based projects.

SHOT DEAD: A man and his brother were shot dead on Indus Highway in Surgul area when they were going to home on a motorcycle on Tuesday.

The police said rivals Amtali Khan and Daulat Khan opened fire on the motorcyclists at the Surgul square, Killing Habibur Rehman and Shahidur Rehman of Muslimabad area on the spot.

The suspects escaped from the scene.

The police shifted the bodies to the KDA hospital.

Published in Dawn, June 8th, 2022