PESHAWAR: The business community of Cantonment Board and Peshawar has demanded the Federal Government to declare NWFP as war affected province, announce a special package for it and exempt cantt board and Peshawar from the sales tax. These demands were made by representatives of business community at a meeting held at Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SCCI) Peshawar to discuss the problems of businessmen Thursday. NWFP Minister for Sports, Culture and Tourism Syed Aqil Shah was chief guest on this occasion. President SCCI Sharafat Ali Mubarak, Executive Member Cantt: Board Waris Khan Afridi, Chairman Standing Committee for law and order Shaukat Ali Khan and other businessmen also addressed and apprised the Minister about the problems of dwellers and businessmen of Cantt Board and Peshawar regarding sales tax, electricity, kidnapping incidents. Sharafat Ali Mubarak, president of SCCI, while highlighting the difficulties , being faced by traders and businessmen, said the trader community was not in a position to pay further taxes, adding that law and order situation and insecurity has already disrupted their business in such a situation the expension of tax network to the owners of hotels, restaurants, confectioneries and traders and businessmen was not justified. SCCI chief urged the government to provide security to life and property to trader and business community , which he added was badly effected during the war against terror. The Sports Minister while addressing the meeting said that the provincial government was well aware of the problems of businessmen of cantonment board and Peshawar and it would raise voice in the concerned forums. He said, the only solution to the problems of cantt board was holding the election there so that its own representatives could present and solve the problems of the area more effectively. He assured that Senator Farrah Aqil Shah and other elected representatives of the province would raise the problems of the cantt board in Senate as well as in National Assembly. While referring to the problems presented in the welcome address, Syed Aqil Shah said that in future the ground of Nishtar Hall would be allowed for industrial exhibition through the consultation of business community of cantt board and Peshawar. He said the provincial government was considering the protection of lives and properties of masses as its prime obligation and it would not show any negligence in this regard. He assured the businessmen that he and the businessmen would meet Director General Cantt Board and WAPDA authority and would solve the problems of the people on the spot.
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