Daily Times

The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has urged the Capital Development Authority (CDA) to consider regularising all nonconforming businesses, which have been underway since long.

This request was made when ICCI President Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan along with a delegation visited CDA headquarters on Wednesday and held a meeting with Chairman CDA Amir Ali Ahmed.

Yasir told the CDA chief that many businesses from trade and industry have been operating in the federal capital since long and CDA has now started to seal shops in some areas due to nonconforming use, but this action is disrupting the business activities. He said that CDA has also issued notices to some industries for nonconforming use while these industries are promoting exports and providing jobs to thousands of workers. He emphasised that instead of taking direct action in markets and industrial areas, the CDA should always take ICCI on board so that amicable solutions of such issues could be found with joint efforts.

The ICCI president said that all these businesses are doing legal business and the CDA should consider regularising them instead of issuing them show cause notices or sealing shops.

He said that due to Covid-19 pandemic, the economy is already facing great problems and this situation demands that every business related institution including CDA should facilitate ease of doing business instead of taking measures that would cause further contraction in business activities.

He said that in this age of competitive business environment, business dynamics have changed significantly, therefore, he stressed that CDA Board should revise/amend CDA bylaws to allow change of trade to industries and regularize all nonconforming businesses that will also generate significant revenue for the civic body.

The delegation also urged the CDA to speed up the pace of all development works including restoration of street lights, carpeting of roads, repair of footpaths, renovation of sewerage, sanitation and water supply systems.

Chairman CDA Amir Ali Ahmed appreciated the suggestions of the delegation and said that they would be given due consideration. He also issued instructions to his team about tackling nonconforming issue of businesses and said that in these circumstances, measures should be taken to facilitate the growth of business activities.

He assured that CDA would handle the issue of nonconforming use of businesses in cooperation with ICCI to find out amicable solution of such issues.