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Business Recorder
14-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Traders hail initiative for revival of manufacturing sector
PESHAWAR: Members of the business community welcomed the government's announcement of a new industrial policy for revival of the country's declining manufacturing sector. However, they cautioned that without immediate, inclusive, and practical measures, the manufacturing sector— already gasping for survival— may face irreversible collapse. Traders took a stance that the announcement signals recognition of the crisis, the business community, particularly industrialists, are standing at the edge of despair. Skyrocketing energy costs, an unpredictable policy environment, insecurity, and a crippling taxation regime have rendered operations unsustainable for many manufacturers, especially small and medium enterprises, the traders said. 'Our factories are shutting down, our machines are falling silent, and our workers are being laid off. If this continues, we won't just lose industrial output—we'll lose hope,' Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Fazal Moqeem Khan said while talking to this scribe. He expressed serious concern over the consistent decline in the industrial sector's share in GDP—from 26% in 1996 to just 18% in 2025— calling it not just a number but a reflection of lost jobs, shuttered businesses, and fading confidence in Pakistan's economic future. While appreciating the proposed steps such as fiscal incentives, legal reforms, and industrial rehabilitation, Moqeem stressed that without direct and meaningful engagement with stakeholders, including regional chambers, these efforts may once again remain limited to paper. 'The policies designed in Islamabad must reflect the ground realities of Faisalabad, Karachi, Peshawar, and Quetta,' he added. 'Decisions made without us will not serve us.' However, Abdul Jalil Jan, a senior vice president of the chamber emphasised that the true revival of industry requires bold political will, structural reforms, and an enabling environment where enterprise is rewarded—not punished. Shehryar Khan, vice president of the chamber, urged the government to prioritize transparency, predictability, and regional inclusivity in the implementation of this policy. Reiterating its commitment, the SCCI president pledged full cooperation in any sincere efforts aimed at pulling the country's industrial sector back from the brink—but warned that time is running out. 'We are not asking for fevers; we are demanding our right to survive, contribute, and grow. The economy cannot thrive if its industries are in free fall.' Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
30-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Coordination between government, businessmen urged
Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) President Fazal Moqeem Khan has said the government needed to meet tax targets and enhance revenue which could only be achieved through the collection of various taxes by the business community. Moqeem, in a press statement issued on Saturday, said hurting business and trade was tantamount to inflicting losses on the economy. Therefore, he emphasized, the government should take collective initiatives and resolve all issues through proper consultations and mutual consensus. The SCCI chief mentioned that action had been taken against a restaurant yesterday which was an attempt to discourage investors and the business community, and urged that steps damaging business and economic activities be avoided. He stressed that it was a dire need of the hour that the government understand the current economic conditions and prevailing circumstances, and emphasized the need for building consensus between both sides on the issue. Under the collective approach, the government must take the business community into confidence through positive collaboration, the SCCI chief added. He went on to say that, instead of adopting harsh measures, strict implementation, and the closure of businesses and economic activities, the government should provide a relocation chance to the business community. He added that the chamber, business community and stakeholders should be consulted before taking any such initiatives to prevent creating a gulf between government, institutions and business community so that they can continue to play a role in economic development through the payment of various taxes. The SCCI chief demanded that the government officials who had issued the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for the establishment of the restaurant 25 years ago be brought to justice.
