ISLAMABAD, JAN 28 /DNA/ – Director Municipal Administration (DMA) Islamabad, Dr. Syeda Anam Fatima, visited the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) and held a fruitful and interactive session with ICCI leadership and prominent business leaders, aimed at fostering collaborative efforts to transform Islamabad into a vibrant business hub and an ideal residential city.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Syeda Anam Fatima stated that the business community is the real engine of the economy and deserves utmost respect, facilitation, and institutional support. She assured the participants of DMA’s full cooperation in resolving key issues faced by the industrial and trade sectors, particularly challenges related to encroachments, parking shortages, and multiple trade licensing requirements.

She announced that all the taxes will be streamlined under a one-window system to promote ease of doing business and transparency. She further assured that matters related to challans, fines, market beautification, and removal of encroachments would be addressed to the satisfaction of the business community, emphasizing that traders are the true face of the capital city. In this regard, she issued on-the-spot instructions to her staff.

Highlighting the importance of inclusive decision-making, Dr. Fatima assured that no unilateral action would be taken in any business center without prior consultation with relevant trade bodies and ICCI. Regarding billboard installations and Food Authority fine categories, she said that both sides would jointly develop a consensus-based framework. She also pledged to address the long-standing demand of H-13 sector residents by allowing burials in the H-11 graveyard.

Welcoming the DMA Director, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood highlighted major challenges confronting Islamabad’s business community, including multiple licensing regimes, encroachments, inadequate parking facilities, and billboard taxation. He also demanded the appointment of a focal person from DMA to maintain regular coordination with the Convener ICCI Committee on MCI.

Reaffirming ICCI’s role, Sardar Tahir Mehmood stated that the Chamber would continue to serve as a bridge between the business community and municipal authorities to create a more conducive business environment and promote ease of doing business in the capital.

Former ICCI President Zafar Bakhtawari, while speaking on the occasion, emphasized that government institutions must facilitate businesses, noting that a strong and confident business community plays a vital role in projecting a positive image of the country and attracting foreign investment.

The session also featured valuable input from ICCI Senior Vice President Tahir Ayub, Vice President Irfan Chaudhry, President All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajraan Ajmal Baloch, President TWA Blue Area Yousuf Rajput, and ICCI Executive Members Ms. Fatima Azeem, Abdur Rehman Siddiqui, Chaudhry Nadeem Ahmed, Nasir Mehmood Chaudhry, Raheel Anwar Butt, among others, who highlighted area-specific issues. Both sides agreed to maintain close coordination to uplift Islamabad’s economic environment through practical and policy-driven measures.

Earlier, upon her arrival, Dr. Syeda Anam Fatima was accorded a warm welcome by ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood, Senior Vice President Tahir Ayub, Vice President Irfan Chaudhry, ICCI Executive Members, and business leaders. Former Senior Vice President ICCI Khalid Chaudhry conducted the proceedings as Master of Ceremony.

Those present also included ICCI Executive Members Zulqurnain Abbasi, Mohsin Khalid Malik, Waseem Chaudhry, Imran Minhas, Sanaullah Khan, business leaders Chaudhry Naeem, Chaudhry Waheem Cheema, Shehzad Shabbir Abbasi, Raja Zulfiqar, Noman Butt, Kamran Kakakhel, and others. The DMA Director was accompanied by Deputy Director Asif Ali Khan, Assistant Directors Liaquat Hayat, Abdul Ghafoor, and Ms. Kulsoom.