Mian Rashid Asghar.
FAISALABAD: Facilitation cell will be established in Deputy Commissioner Office to resolve the problems of the taxpayers in a dignified and on top priority basis, said Deputy Commissioner Faisalabad Lieutenant (Retired) Sohail Ashraf.
Addressing a gathering of the business community in Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI), he appreciated the role of taxpayers and said that government should acknowledge their services by providing them silver, gold and platinum card in according to their tax liability. He requested President FCCI Mr. Atif Munir Sheikh to nominate focal persons for this facilitation cellto manage its affairs. He said that this cell should work on the pattern of portal system clearly providing time line to each applicant. Continuing, Deputy Commissioner termed private sector as engine of growth and said that all government departments are bound to facilitate them. He also suggested that President FCCI should formulate a comprehensive strategy for the productive working of the facilitation cell. He said that Faisalabad is an iconic city of Pakistan. “He had already visited it but in a casual manner”, Sohail Ashraf said, adding that this time being Deputy Commissioner he is critically scanning each and every aspect of the city. He identified cleanliness and drainage of waste water and said that these issues would be resolved very soon. He said that community support is imperative to resolve the civic problems and in this connection, we must pool our energies and try to solve the emerging problems. He said that all problems excluding shifting of Khurrianwala toll plaza are in his notice and would be resolved very soon. He said that employees of waste management department generally remain absent and he will share union council wise list to ensure their presence with the help of FCCI members and local community. He was impressed by the cooperation of the local industrialists and said that Kashmir Ghee Mill and Sadaqat Mill have taken their responsibility to beautify the Kashmir and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan underpasses. He further told that local ghee mills have announced to provide additional subsidy of Rs. 10 per kilogram of ghee in addition to subsidy of Rs. 25 announced by the government. “Thus, the local inhabitants would get subsidy of Rs. 35”, he added. Responded to a question about FIEDMC, he said that business community have genuine grievances and he would hold a meeting in presence of FCCI members to sort out the issues of NOCs. He also appreciated the gesture of cooperation by departmental store association and said that it would undertake horticulture work on the closed bridges on the canal road.
Earlier Mr. Atif Munir Sheikh President Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FCCI) welcomed the Deputy Commissioner and said that Faisalabad was contributing 22% share in GDP in addition to catering 80% domestic needs of cloths and clothing. “Similarly, its share in total textile export is around 45%”, he added. He also underlined the importance of FCCI and said that in addition to facilitating its members. “It played a major role in resolving local civic problems “, he said and added that FCCI also played an instrumental role in starting direct international flights from the Faisalabad and now we are trying to develop an independent civilian airport in this city. He said that originally Pindi-Bhattian- Faisalabad motorway was designed with six lanes which was later on trimmed to four due to financial constraints. He said that former Prime Minister had assured to restore it with six lanes and now it has become imperative due to heavy traffic load on this motorway as it has been expanded up to Gojra. He also demanded that Faisalabad should be linked with Lahore-Kot-Abdul Hakeem motorway as it would reduce travel timing between Faisalabad and Lahore to one hour and ten minutes only. He also demanded immediate expansion in Allied Hospital and Faisalabad Institute of cardiology in addition to the repair and maintenance of Faisalabad-Chiniot Road. He also demanded that Chiniot dam should be built on priority basis to meet future needs of drinking water for this entire region.
A question answer session was also held which was participated by Vice President Rana Fayyaz Ahmad, Shahid Mumtaz Bajawa, Waheed Khalid Ramay, Ayub Aslam Manj and Madam Nighat Shahid. Later President Mr. Atif Munir Sheikh presented FCCI shield to Deputy Commissioner Lieutenant (Retired) Sohail Ashraf.