Altaf Hamid Rao.
MIRPUR (AJK): Lambasting the bureaucracy of Azad Jammu & Kashmir, local entrepreneur has accused former of becoming a stumbling block in the industrial development and uplift of Azad Jammu & Kashmir mere for the accomplishment of their petty vested interests.
Speakers including seasoned businessman and ex President of AJKCCI Raja Muhammad Jamil, Supreme Heads of their respective factions of Markazi Anjuman –e- Tajran Sohail Shujah Mujahid and Raja Khalid Mahmood accused certain of AJK ‘Baboos’ of creating undue hurdles in the way of flourishing of trade and industries in AJK on one pretext or the other, while addressing the annual general meeting of the AJKCCI-turned-Mirpur Chamber of Commerce & Industry at a local marriage hall in old industrial estate here Tuesday night.
Local law-maker and AJK minister for Sports Culture and MDA affairs Ch. Muhammad Saeed was the chief guest on this occasion who disclosed that the Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider Khan has principally agreed to restore the recently-cancelled five mega industrial plots already allotted.
The outgoing President of the MCCI Ch. Sohaib Saeed, outgoing Vice President Nawaz Rattayal, newly elected President of the Chamber Choudray Muhammad Murtaza, newly elected Sr. Vice President Syed Sabir Hussain Shah, Vice President Syed Shmraiz Hussain Shah, ex President AJKCCI Raja Muhammad Jamil, Secretary AJKCCI Muhammad Shafique Chaudhry, heads of their respective factions of Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran Sohail Shujah Mujahid and Raja Khalid Mahmood Khan and others also spoke on this occasion and highlighted the issues and bottlenecks in the way of industrial development in Azad Jammu & Kashmir.
The ceremony was largely attended by the members of the business fraternity experts from various state-run and public representative organizations and institutions including PML (N) Professional wing’s Chairman and President Jinnah Foundation AJK Dr. Amin Chaudhry, ex President AJKCCI Ch. Javed Iqbal, Khalid Mahmood Butt, President PANAH AJK chapter Baboo Muhammad Sideeque and others.
Addressing the ceremony ex AJKCCI President Raja Muhammad Jamil bitterly criticized the recent decision of the AJK government cancelling five of the already allotted industrial plots for the construction of hotels, motels and marriage halls including four in Mirpur and one in Kotli industrial estates. He said when the investors have launched millions of rupees through construction of the hotels, motels and marriage halls buildings on the allotted plots since over past two decades, the AJK government took decision in haste on the connivance of certain of black sheep in the bureaucracy mere for the accomplishment of their nefarious vested designs. He demanded immediate withdrawal of the govt. notification about cancellation of the above allotted plots.
Raja Jamil described it a pre-planned conspiracy by certain of the corrupt bureaucrates to discourage the local and foreign investments by the UK-based Pakistani and Kashmiri Diaspora in the industrial sector in AJK.
Speaking on this occasion, Traders leader Suhail Shujah Mujahid strongly criticized the style of the imposition of the commercial taxes by the Local Inland revenue department of the AJK Council. Shujah said that the entrepreneur was fully prepared to pay the taxes but wanted due incentives in return – instead of the threats of handcuffing of the defaulters by the local tax authorities. He warned that the local Commissioner Income tax should mend his alleged hostile behavior towards the entrepreneurs while imposing the tax regime.
Speaking on this occasion, AJK minister Ch. Muhammad Saeed, who is also an industrialist-cum-politician,that in response to the recent demand of the AJKCCI’s outgoing President Ch. Sohaib Saeed, the AJK Prime minister has principally agreed to restore five of the recently-cancelled plots allotted for hotels, motels and marriage halls in Mirpur old and new industrial estates besides one in industrial estate Kotli.
“The Prime Minister Farooq Haider has issued necessary directives to the Secretary Commerce and Industries of AJK Raja Amjad Pervez Ali Khan to immediate reverse the September 13, 2017 official notification about cancellation of the above mentioned five number of the already allotted plots maintaining their status quo – meant of hotels, motels and marriage hallsâ€, Ch. Saeed said.
The Minister declared that the PM Haider has directed me to make an announcement, on his behalf, about restoration of the above five industrial plots meant for the construction of the hotels and marriage hall industry.
