LAHORE, Oct 21: Matters pertaining to non-issuance of loans to small businessmen, complicated tax procedures, mediation and traffic-related problems were received on the first Complaint Redressal Day of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Monday.
LCCI President Engineer Sohail Lashari, Senior Vice-President Mian Tariq Misbah and Vice-President Kashif Anwar listened to the complaints in the presence of executive committee member Haji Akram and former executive committee member Rehmatullah Javaid.
The first three complaints pertained to non-payment of dues. Salman Inamullah of M/s SK Traders and Assad Butt of M/s Professional Construction Services (Pvt) Ltd and M/s Multi Business Services complained about non-payment of their dues from certain business entities in Pakistan and abroad.
The LCCI president referred to the Mediation Centre for further action while on the third case, it was decided to write letters to the ministries of commerce and foreign affairs.
A former LCCI executive committee member, Waqar Ahmad Mian, said that traffic congestion in Badami Bagh Auto Market had been badly affecting the businesses. He sought help from the LCCI office-bearers for deputation of traffic wardens to streamline traffic there.
A number of members spoke about complicated tax procedures and Mr Lashari assured them that the tax officials would soon be invited for a meeting with the LCCI members facing troubles while dealing with taxation issues.
Mirza Shafqat Baig of M/s Shafqat Surgical Textiles (Pvt) Ltd complained that the SME entrepreneurs were being denied financial facility thus they were unable to do any kind of expansion in their business.
Mr Lashari said that the Lahore chamber would continue to guide its members for early resolution of their business-related problems.
Over the non-issuance of loans to small businessmen, he said that the LCCI would send letters to all the authorities concerned to ensure availability of liquidity to the interested members. Citing an example, Engineer Lashari said if London Chamber of Commerce could recommend loan cases of its members, why not the LCCI.
He said the LCCI wanted promotion of businesses and would convince all the related departments and banking channels to facilitate businessmen to the maximum for the sake of creation of new entrepreneurs in the country. The government could control unemployment through industrialisation and promotion of entrepreneurship.
He said at this point in time when the country was facing multiple internal and external challenges, the private sector was in dire need of hand-holding by SME Bank and Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC) and the LCCI would proactively play its role in this regard.
