Business community deserves facilitation not harassment: Sardar Tahir
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) and the Capital Emergency Services (CES) have agreed to form a five-member Joint Review Committee comprising three members from ICCI and two from CES to facilitate the business community in ensuring compliance with emergency service regulations.
The committee will review the existing Building Regulations 2016 and propose practical amendments to make compliance easier and more business-friendly.
This landmark understanding was reached during the visit of Dr. Abdul Rehman, Director General CES, along with Director Fire Mohammad Ahsan and other senior officers, to the ICCI on Tuesday. The delegation met with ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood to discuss key issues faced by the business community in meeting emergency service requirements.
The meeting was also attended by ICCI Senior Vice President Tahir Ayub, Vice President Mohammad Irfan Chaudhry, Islamabad Industrial Association (IIA) President Shaikh Abdul Razzaq, SVP Mirza Mohammad Ali and a large number of ICCI and IIA members.
During the interactive session, the CES team attentively heard the concerns of the business community. DG CES Dr. Abdul Rehman informed that the relevant regulations are being amended to simplify compliance procedures and remove unnecessary hurdles. He revealed that over 110 cases of heavy fines have already been referred for review and assured that all possible measures will be adopted to support industrial and commercial growth in the region.
Dr. Rehman also shared his and the Director Fire’s contact numbers, encouraging business representatives to lodge complaints directly for swift redressal.
In his remarks, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood appreciated the cooperative approach of CES, emphasizing that the business community has significantly contributed to the national economy. He cautioned that intimidation, arbitrary fines, and arrests by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) could damage investor confidence and harm an already fragile economy. He urged the authorities to adopt a facilitative rather than punitive approach toward businesses.
Director Fire Mohammad Ahsan underscored the importance of installing electric hydrants in industrial areas and business hubs to ensure rapid emergency response and safety.
Speaking on the occasion, IIA President Shaikh Abdul Razzaq, ICCI Senior Vice President Tahir Ayub, Executive Member Sanaullah Khan, Ms. Fatima Azim, former VP Mohammad Ejaz Abbasi, and former SVP Khalid Chaudhry highlighted sector-specific challenges and urged CDA to streamline procedures.
The session concluded with a consensus that close coordination between ICCI, CES, and CDA is vital to create a safer, compliant, and business-friendly environment in the capital.
Those present also included Imran Minhas, Malik Aqeel Ahmed, and several other prominent members of the business community.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
