SCCI President Malik Imran Ishaq vows to serve the business community selflessly

Key priorities and goals unveiled; calls for simplifying taxation system, focus on SMEs financing, infrastructure improvement in industrial estates
PESHAWAR
Malik Imran Ishaq, the newly elected president of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry unveiled a progressive agenda for business, industrial and economic growth in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Announcing new priorities and key objectives set for his tenure at the Annual General Meeting and Dinner, President Malik Imran Ishaq assured no stone will be left unturned to provide relief to the business community.
SCCI chief noted the business community is facing multiple challenges, including rising operational costs, high fuel prices, besides taxation complexities, energy and regulatory issues, despite the all aforesaid facts, he added, the business community continues to support in revival of the economy.
However, he emphasized the urgent need of hour to revisit policies and make them business-friendly, provision of an enabling environment for all businesses and industry, upgradation and infrastructure improvement in existing industrial estates along with establishment of new special economic zones.
The AGM/Dinner attended by Businessman Forum leader Ghazanfar Bilour, outgoing president Junaid Altaf, Senior vice President Muhammad Nadeem, vice president Sabir Ahmad Bangash, Chairman Anjuman E Tajraan KP Shaukat Ali Khan, Anjuman Tajraan Lifetime president Peshawar Haji Muhammad Afzal, Traders leader Haji Amanullah Mohmand, newly elected SVP SCCI Naeemur Rehman and VP Abid Pervaiz Awan, former presidents, Members of the Election Commission Malik Niaz Ahmad, Haris Mufti and Shuja Muhammad, SCCI’s Secretary General Muqtasid Ahsan, businessman forum leaders, presidents of Small Industrial Estate Peshawar, Hayatabad Industrial Estate Peshawar, traders, manufacturers, office bearers of various bazaars union, market association and others.
Malik Imran Ishaq maintained businesses contribute significantly toward employment generation, improvement in investment and flourishing economy so they must be facilitated and emphasized that ‘Ease of doing business’ is key economic growth, which should be implemented with true spirit.
The chamber president called for easy access to finance through commercial banks for Small and Medium Enterprises, financial assistance for startup businesses and government-industry linkages for skilled development, as well as public-private sectors joint ventures for economic uplift in the province.
Calling for further initiatives for reforms in the existing taxation system, Mr Ishaq said businesses understand their responsibilities towards the national economy but require a simpler and more predictable taxation framework.
He said complicated procedures and multiple compliance requirements can create difficulties, especially for small and medium enterprises.
According to him, better coordination among institutions and consultation with the business community can help improve the overall system
Malik Imran Ishaq said traders and industrialists are dealing with several issues that directly affect their competitiveness, including high input costs, complicated procedures, compliance requirements and coordination difficulties with different departments.
He assured these issues would be taken up with relevant authorities at provincial and federal level in an efficient manner and will keep continuous engagement with them for early resolution of all these issues.
Junaid Altaf, the outgoing president earlier also addressed the function highlighted the key initiatives made for the business community and said that SCCI had played a pivotal role in providing maximum relief to the business community in his tenure.
Malik Niaz Ahmad, member of the election commission and former president SCCI formally announced the name of the newly elected office bearers and 22-members elected executive committee of the chamber. The newly elected office bearers will take charge of their respective offices from October 01, 2026, according to the election commission.
Ghazanfar Bilour, the Businessman Forum leader during his speech shed light on a number of issues being faced by the business community of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said the Businessman Forum has always played an important role in resolving the traders’ issues.
BF leader thanked the business community for reposing trust on the forum in the SCCI’s elections 2026-28 and vowed continuation of service to the community without any discrimination.
Ghazanfar Bilour formally congratulated the newly elected office bearers and executive committee of the chamber and expressed the hope the new cabinet will come up with expectations of the business community and would play a key role in resolving their problems by taking up them effectively with relevant authorities.