RAWALPINDI: As many as 205 no-objection certificates (NOCs) were issued in one month to new investors in Rawalpindi Division to start new ventures for businesses from the newly inaugurated Business Facilitation Centre .

A total of 320 applications have been received so far in this Business Facilitation Centre, which has been operational since January 15, 2024, out of which 205 NOCs have been issued, 61 are under process, and 28 have been referred for further compliance.

Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chatha, while presiding over the performance review meeting of the first Business Facilitation Centre of Rawalpindi Division, said that the heads of institutions in the centre should not only ensure the presence of the focal person but also occasionally visit the centre by themselves.

Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Director General Saif Anwar Jappa, Director Local Government Sabatin Kazmi, Chief Officer Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation Amjad Chaudhry, and other concerned heads of departments as well as focal persons of BFC participated in this meeting held at the Commissioner Office Rawalpindi.

The commissioner said that action should be taken on the applications received within ten days. While giving a briefing on this occasion, Commissioner Rawalpindi was told that the performance of all the departments is being monitored in the centre, and the departments with high pendency will be reported immediately.

At present, representatives of 14 departments are present in the facilitation centre, while instructions have also been given to include representatives of the FBR, Customs, and Labour Department.

Mr. Chatha further said that this first business facilitation centre in Rawalpindi was completed in a very short period of time. “Its establishment will promote economic activities in the area, which will provide employment to people at the local level. If business people need NOC for business in other divisions apart from Rawalpindi, they will also be able to get it from here,” he said.

He said that the aim of setting up the centre was to facilitate people under one roof for the regulatory procedures carried out by various departments before starting any business. This will firstly save them from visiting various departments and secondly save their time, which will ultimately increase economic activities, he said.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2024