Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Fazal Moqeem Khan said that export from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had halted after imposition of two percent cess and feared of shifting of export to other provinces from KP if the cess was not withdrawn immediately.

Fazal Moqeem said that the provincial government move was not only adversely affecting exports but also incurred huge financial loss to exporters. He stated that export is shifting from KP to other provinces owing to negligence of the provincial government.

Fazal Moqeem asked federal and provincial governments to take pragmatic steps for facilitating businesses, trade and export.

The SCCI chief noted the traders have been facing difficulties owing to lack of facilities at Azakhel Dryport.

The issues were taken up by a delegation of Frontier Custom Agents Association (FCAA) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Peshawar president, PAJCCI Senior Vice President and executive member of the SCCI Ziaul Haq Sarhadi during a meeting with the SCCI chief Fazal Moqeem Khan held at the chamber house on Saturday.

The association senior vice president Khalid Shahzad, vice president Imtiaz Ahmad Ali, executive members Mansoor Ahmad, Javed Khan, Tariq Afridi, Israr Afridi, Nizam Shah, Arshad Khan, Sher Muhammad, Wahab Khan and Faiz Muhammad were amongst members of the delegation.—APP

National Bank of Pakistan has won the prestigious Disability Inclusion Award 2024 from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). This is a historic moment, as NBP is the first bank from Pakistan to receive this award, competing against top banks from Asia and the Pacific.

This achievement positions NBP as a leader in disability inclusion, both nationally and internationally.

The commitment from NBP’s BoD, the President, HRMG, and group chiefs is commendable and reflects the organization’s ongoing dedication to fostering an inclusive workplace for all.

Mr. Mirza Muhammad Asim Baig, Group Head HRMG, received this distinguished award on behalf of NBP at a grand ceremony in Singapore. The bank’s exemplary efforts in creating a barrier-free environment, implementing inclusive policies, and empowering employees with disabilities have earned it this significant recognition and are a testament to NBP’s commitment to leading the way in inclusion.

The award acknowledges our efforts in creating an inclusive and accessible environment through employing 169 individuals with disabilities, the highest in Pakistan’s banking sector, establishing model branches with full accessibility features, implementing inclusive policies and training programs, and setting a benchmark for diversity.

These dimensions highlight the bank’s ongoing commitment to being a leader in disability inclusion and its efforts to create meaningful change for employees with disabilities.

Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh here on Saturday chaired a meeting with representatives from Malaysian companies, including Felda Global Ventures and KLK Malaysia, as well as the Pakistani Westbury Group to discuss foreign investment in Pakistan’s maritime sector.

According to a statement from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, the Malaysian companies, including Felda Global Ventures and KLK Malaysia, expressed their commitment to expanding business operations through Pakistan’s ports Pakistani company Westbury Group also participated in this meeting.

All the companies are already engaged with Pakistan’s ports, and the Malaysian companies reaffirmed their commitment to expanding operations through these ports.

Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh assured that full cooperation would be extended to all foreign investors, including those from Malaysia.

Shaikh said that the Port Qasim Authority, Karachi Port Trust, and other institutions under the Ministry of Maritime Affairs are actively addressing the concerns of importers and exporters.

The Federal Minister added that his office is always open to investors, and if foreign investors face any hurdles, they can directly contact him.

Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh further stated in the same week, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the Danish government, under which Maersk will invest two billion dollars in Pakistan’s maritime sector.

This is proof that foreign investors are showing confidence in Pakistan, the minister said.

He further said that the success of CPEC is also connected with our ports. Upgradation of all ports including Gwadar and Karachi is in progress, he told.

The federal minister assured Malaysian importers and exporters that they will have no reason for complaints regarding the ports.

Federal Minister Qaiser Ahmed thanked the representatives of the multinational companies for their participation in the meeting and expressed satisfaction with the visit of the Prime Minister of Malaysia.

The minister expressed the hope that the two countries would strengthen cooperation in all sectors, including maritime.—APP