
SAPM says issues facing KCCI to be resolved
ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan has assured the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) of addressing all their concerns.
The SAPM assured this to the members of the KCCI during a virtual meeting aimed to address several pressing issues concerning Karachi's industrial sector, including electricity supply, water provision, rising gas levies, tax collection problems, and the challenges faced by exporters.
The committees were set up following the prime minister's directives to ensure a focused and systematic approach to resolving the concerns of local chambers and industrialists. 'The goal is to resolve all the issues that are hindering the growth of our industries,' said Haroon Akhtar Khan.
In line with the Prime Minister's vision, Haroon Akhtar Khan reiterated the urgency of boosting industrial growth across Pakistan. He highlighted that the ongoing tariff war presents a unique opportunity for Pakistani industries to compete globally. 'The Prime Minister has directed us to revive local industries and significantly enhance exports,' he added.
A significant update came from the Special Assistant, who reported that due to the prime minister's efforts, the policy rate has been reduced to 11 per cent, a move expected to ease the financial burden on businesses. However, Shawal Malik from KCCI pointed out a critical challenge—the aging and deteriorating electricity infrastructure in Karachi, which is leading to increased production costs for local businesses.
Despite these challenges, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar Khan reassured the KCCI that the government is fully committed to resolving these issues and supporting Karachi's industrial sector. This meeting marks a crucial step toward the government's ongoing efforts to ensure the growth and competitiveness of Pakistani industries.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
'PTI's protest movement is ineffective' says Rana Sanaullah
Listen to article Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Public and Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's protest call won't bear fruit as the party is not in a position to lead any such movement at the moment. Speaking to the media after offering Eid al-Adha prayers in Faislabad, the SAPM said Pakistan is now on the path to economic stability and development, but overcoming existing challenges requires national unity, political consensus, and alignment on an economic agenda, which he called the most urgent need of the time. He said Pakistan is transitioning from economic decline toward economic stability — a dream of the country's founding fathers. He added that thanks to national unity and courageous decisions by the political leadership, Pakistan is once again on a path of development. He revealed that India made an unjustified and arrogant attempt to attack Pakistan last month, but armed forces, with the backing of the people, delivered a strong response and shattered the enemy's arrogance. He said that the ongoing military operation, 'Bunyan-un-Marsoos', being carried out in the name of justice, has achieved historic success, and Pakistan has emerged before the world as a strong nuclear power. Read: FO slams Modi's 'unfounded' allegations on Pahalgam attack He extended congratulations to Field Marshal General Asim Munir and every soldier involved, saying they all deserve recognition for this success. Sanaullah said that under the leadership of PM Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan has stepped onto the path of economic growth. He once again called on PTI and all political parties to come together for the country's betterment and agree on the Charter of Economy, just as the entire nation had shown unity and consensus between May 6 and May 10. He stressed that politics can wait — what's most important is fixing the economy, especially since 240 million Pakistanis are struggling with inflation and economic pressures. He appealed to opposition leaders to accept the Prime Minister's invitation and agree on the formation of a neutral Election Commission so that the next general elections are free and fair, leaving no room for objection. The adviser said that Pakistan has earned respect and recognition at the global level — countries that once distanced themselves are now compelled to listen. He warned that if political leaders continue to prioritise personal or group interests, it will go against national interest. He urged the public to put pressure on political parties to put the nation first. Commenting on PTI's protest movement, Rana Sanaullah said the movement is ineffective because the party lacks both preparation and public support. He further criticised Imran Khan, saying that if the former Prime Minister ties his release to the country's economic progress, it would be an injustice to the nation. Speaking on India's intentions, he responded to a question saying that the Modi government is following the RSS's extremist agenda and is hostile toward both Pakistan and Muslims. Read more: Pakistan launches diplomatic offensive against India He assured that India would not dare attack again, although efforts to destabilise Pakistan through terrorism would likely continue. He added that while the military has fulfilled its duties, it is now the responsibility of the political leadership to unite for national development. He claimed that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is taking the upcoming local government elections seriously and will participate actively under the new Local Government Act. He confirmed that these elections will be held on a party basis. Sanaullah also said that the Punjab government is working on welfare schemes such as the Kisan Card, Mazdoor Card, and Mazoor Card to improve the quality of life for ordinary citizens. He concluded by noting that major national projects, including Pakistan's nuclear tests, were completed during PML-N's tenure, and that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is now stepping forward with a new vision of public service.


Business Recorder
4 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Will the budget provide ‘deep reforms startups truly need to thrive'?
With the budget announcement just around the corner, Business Recorder spoke to several people associated with the country's startup ecosystem to understand their hopes and expectations. Amid dwindling startup funding, some remain optimistic, while others believe the budget will only provide surface-level policies that will not truly go to the heart of the needs of the ecosystem. According to Syed Azfar Hussain, Project Director Project Director National Incubation Center Karachi the upcoming budget, expected to be announced on June 10, 'can significantly support startups by including seed grants,tax incentives, and export facilitation.' He told Business Recorder that investment in digital infrastructure like cloud services and skills development will also help startups scale more efficiently as will support for innovation through public procurement. When asked if his expectations align with what he would like to see in the budget, he said he was optimistic. 'The government has shown increased interest in promoting the digital economy. We hope to see continued support for the Pakistan Software Export Board, which has advanced freelancer training and IT export promotion including the recent Digital Foreign Direct Investment event in Islamabad, and the Ignite National Technology Fund, whose role in funding incubation, R&D, and entrepreneurial programs has been vital.' Pakistan secures $700m in investment pledges at first Digital Foreign Direct Investment forum He believes that if these efforts are further facilitated and expanded in the budget, 'it will align well with our hopes for a stronger startup ecosystem.' Meanwhile a spokesperson at flexible workspace startup COLABS said that while some support is expected for the startup ecosystem, such as tax relief for the IT sector, youth loan schemes and digital service expansion, 'it has been apparent that these measures only tend to scratch the surface.' Major challenges faced by startups like fragmented tax systems, regulatory uncertainty, limited access to finance, remain largely unaddressed, they said. Their conclusion is that while the budget may offer some help, it still falls short of delivering the deep reforms startups truly need to thrive. 'We hope that the budget has taken into account expert advice that aligns with the startup and venture capital landscape so as to further address the issues of combating large import vs., export bills,' they added. When asked what they would like to see from the government, they explained that access to capital remains one of the biggest hurdles for early-stage founders and scale ups. For this reason, budget provisions that support government-backed venture funds or credit guarantees can be game changers, 'by de-risking investment and encouraging private capital as well via tax incentives and lower interest rates for financing.' COLABS called for public funding for accelerators and startup hubs, especially in and around smaller cities, as it believes this will help grow an inclusive ecosystem by leveling the playing field for startups and SMEs. 'In fact, we hope that enabling space providers as strategic partners to this end will help contribute to the larger startup ecosystem and entrepreneurial community.' Simplified procedures were also on the company's wishlist. The representative said COLABS hoped the budget will introduce policies to add to the ease of doing business and moving with global best practice, introduce simplified and harmonized tax policies, offer tax holidays or incentives for early-stage ventures, and streamline registration, compliance and tracking through a one-window digital portal. Hamad Dawood, founder of the e-commerce concierge service Farmaish, echoed some of these thoughts. He believes 'Building a startup is already hard, so compliance should be a lot easier.' He said Farmaish is a small, bootstrapped e-commerce startup 'so I am liable to pay GST, but Saddar importers, and wholesalers can get away without paying it. So either I'm compliant or I'm priced out of the market by 18% and customers always want to save money.' He also called for a tax holiday for at least 5 years: 'Let companies have a realistic chance to build before they start being taxed.' On his wish list is tax credits for the investments that startups make early and an easier, simpler framework to understand and follow.


Business Recorder
9 hours ago
- Business Recorder
President Zardari, PM Shehbaz felicitate nation on Eid-ul-Adha
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif extended on Saturday heartfelt congratulations to the entire nation and the Muslim Ummah around the world on the occasion of Eid-ul-Adha. The day dawned with special prayers in mosques for well-being of the Muslim Ummah and peace, progress and prosperity of the country. Eid prayers' congregations were held at mosques, Eidgahs and open places in all cities, towns and villages across the country. In his message, the president that the day revives in 'us the spirit of faith, sacrifice, selflessness, and brotherhood', as per Radio Pakistan. The president called for drawing lessons from the spirit of sacrifice and selflessness shown by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and integrating them into our lives. 'Today, there is a pressing need to support the underprivileged and marginalized segments of our society. Along with the act of animal sacrifice, Eid calls upon us to make a solemn pledge to always care for those in need,' President Zardari said. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz said the message of Eid-ul-Adha is not limited to the sacrifice of animals alone, but teaches us to sacrifice our ego, desires, and personal interests for higher purposes. Eid teaches us not only the importance of sacrificing life and wealth but also that nations achieve greatness when they work for collective welfare and selflessness alongside individual development, the PM said. 'Today, we must especially remember our Palestinian brothers and sisters who are enduring ruthless and inhumane oppression and hunger.' Sindh govt announces four holidays on Eid-ul-Adha Moreover, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Army Staff, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, Chief of Naval Staff and Chief of Air Staff also extended their profound felicitations to the people of Pakistan. 'Armed Forces of Pakistan convey their earnest prayers for enduring peace, prosperity, and national cohesion,' the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a press release today. 'We pay solemn tribute to the unwavering resilience of the Pakistani nation and express deep appreciation for the valour and sacrifices of the Armed Forces, Law Enforcement Agencies, and courageous citizens who continue to uphold the security and stability of our homeland.'