ISLAMABAD, NOV 9 /DNA/ – A delegation of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry led by President Muhammad Shakeel Munir visited CDA Head Office and met with Chairman CDA Amir Ali Ahmed to discuss key issues of business community. ICCI Senior Vice President Jamshed Akhtar Sheikh, Vice President Muhammad Faheem Khan, Convener of ICCI CDA Committee Abdul Rauf Alam, Tariq Sadiq, Khalid Iqbal Malik, Sheikh Amir Waheed, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, Nasir Qureshi, Shaban Khalid, Ahsan Zafar Bakhtawari, Tahir Abbasi, Omais Khattak and Khalid Chaudhry were in the delegation. CDA Member Finance Rana Shakeel Asghar, Member Engineering Syed Munawar Shah and Member State Naveed Ellahi were also present in the meeting.

Addressing the delegation, CDA Chairman Amir Ali Ahmed said that the demand of ICCI for setting up a new industrial estate in Islamabad was quite legitimate and assured that CDA was ready to complete this important project in collaboration with ICCI. He said that ICCI should prepare a comprehensive proposal for a new industrial estate and send it to the CDA so that the project could be taken forward in consultation with the concerned departments of the government. It was agreed in the meeting that ICCI would hold another meeting with the Chairman CDA on November 15 with a ready proposal for an industrial estate. Chairman CDA acknowledged that Kahuta Industrial Triangle has been neglected for development but added that roads carpeting work has been started in the said industrial estate and assured that the remaining issues would also be resolved soon. He said that the dualization of Islamabad Dry Port road would be inaugurated next Friday. He said that the process of bids opening for construction of parking plazas in markets was being started soon. He vowed that the CDA would continue to work with ICCI for the development of industrial areas, markets and the city.

Speaking on the occasion, President Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry Muhammad Shakeel Munir apprised the Chairman CDA of the key issues facing the business community and stressed the need for their solution. He said that the role of CDA is very important in solving the problems of the business community so it is hoped that CDA will play this role effectively. He said that the establishment of a new industrial estate in the region was very important which would attract new investment, boost industrialization and create plenty of new jobs. He apprised the Chairman CDA of the problems being faced in the lease renewal of industrial plots and assured that ICCI would fully cooperate with CDA in resolving this issue. He said that CDA should allow bifurcation of industrial plots for better promotion of industrial activities.

Abdul Rauf Alam, Convener of ICCI CDA committee, said that the business community was facing problems due to lack of parking facilities in the markets so the CDA should address this issue on priority basis. He said that the remaining development works including carpeting of roads in the markets and industrial areas should be completed soon to facilitate the business community. He said that sewerage lines should be refurbished and the sanitation system should be further improved. He said that appropriate steps should be taken to solve the problem of slum areas in Islamabad.

Jamshed Akhtar Sheikh Senior Vice President, Faheem Khan, Vice President ICCI, Tariq Sadiq President Islamabad Industrial Association and other members of delegation also highlighted various issues and stressed on the need to resolve them expeditiously.