While highlighting numerous discussions held at a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan in Islamabad, he said that the Prime Minister sought suggestions from the business & industrial community on how to improve exports of the country for which KCCI stressed the need that the commercial counsellors of Pakistan who are discharging their duties at some of the most lucrative export markets around the world will also have to play a more proactive role, while the proposed Promo Councils must comprise of all the relevant stakeholders.
For these Promo Councils, KCCI has identified around 36 sectors in which exports can be promoted by focusing on the value addition and through effective marketing, President KCCI while sharing details of the meeting with PM told, which was also attended by PM's Advisor for Commerce Razak Dawood, Advisor for Finance Hafeez Shaikh, Chairman Federal Board of Revenue Shabbar Zaidi and representatives from different Chambers of Commerce & Industry.
Agha Shahab informed that the Prime Minister, while agreeing to KCCI's suggestion for setting up Promo Councils, asked Razak Dawood to look into the possibility of setting up these Promo Councils as it was really essential to promote all the exports from different sectors.
The PM further stated that four members from the business community will be chosen to carry out case to case study of NAB cases against businessmen so that business community is not harassed.
He further informed that in response to KCCI's concerns over slow processing of refund cases under the recently launched FASTER Module for e-refunds, the business community was told that whoever completely fulfils all the requirements of Annexure H will absolutely have no problems in obtaining the refunds through FASTER module yet if anyone faces problems even after fulfilling Annexure H conditions, they can certainly approach the FBR and they will be fully assisted.
Agha Shahab, while appreciating the first-ever e-commerce policy framework announced by the present government, said that it was the need of the hour as globally the dynamics were changing and everyone has switched to e-commerce and e-payments. Keeping in view the expansion witnessed in online businesses in Pakistan, the government will also have to look into the possibility of devising some kind of a system to legalise online payment systems like Paypal and others being used around the world.
He said that 50 percent of Pakistan's population comprises of youth aging in between 18 to 30 years, hence, any initiative devised to promote e-commerce would certainly open up more avenues for this younger generation.