SAFETY OF INVESTORS IS ESSENTIAL TO LURE INVESTMENT IN THE COUNTRY – ICCI PRESIDENT

SECURITY ARRANGEMENTS WILL BE FURTHER TIGHTENED TO COMBAT DACOITY INCIDENTS – IG POLICE ISLAMABAD

Safety of investors life and protection of their capital and property is essential to lure domestic and foreign direct investment in the country as high profile dacoity incidents in recent past in the Federal Capital has badly shattered the confidence of the investors in the country, stated Muhammad Ijaz Abbasi, President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry while welcoming a high level Islamabad Police team at ICCI comprising Syed Asghar Raza Gardezi Inspector General of Police Islamabad, Tariq Masood Yaseen A.I.G, CPO Islamabad, Capt ® Ahmad Latif S.S.P. (Islamabad Operations) Islamabad, Dr. Muhammad Naeem Khan S.S.P Security, Foreign Mission Islamabad, and Muhammad Zubair Hashmi PSP, S.S.P Traffic Islamabad.

ICCI President said that being Federal Capital of the country, security situation in Islamabad needs to be further improved. He said well secured Islamabad will send a positive effect to other parts of the country. He said big dacoities occurred recently in residential and industrial areas of the Capital have created a growing sense of insecurity in the existing and prospective investors and if this trend is not arrested immediately, investors and business community will shy away from doing business in the Capital, which will prove highly detrimental for the promotion and growth of business and industry and will retard the economic development of the country.

Referring to a high profile dacoity incident at the residence of Sardar Tanveer Ilyas, Chairman Centaraus and Member, Board of Directors of Gulf Airways who brought phenomenal foreign direct investment of US$ 315 million in Pakistan, he said, such big ticket incidents badly tarnish the image of the country and negatively affect the confidence of the investors. Therefore, police should take urgent remedial measures to ensure a stress free environment for businessmen and investors, he demanded.

Muhammad Ijaz Abbasi suggested that surveillance cameras should be installed at all main markets and important public places to fight proactively against anti social elements. He further said that commercial activities should be shifted from residential areas to commercial areas while to ensure better security, passes should be issued to street roaming vendors and hawkers who do their business in all the residential areas as well as schools surroundings of Islamabad. He said unchecked movement of beggars in streets and on roads as well as in residential and commercial also creates security problems; therefore, their movement in these areas should be discouraged. ICCI President further said that representatives of markets associations should be consulted and taken into confidence for solution of business people problems and Reconciliation Committees should be reorganized to make them more efficient and effective.

In the end, Muhammad Ijaz Abbasi thanked IG and other high officials of Islamabad Police for sparing some moments from their hectic schedule for ICCI members to address their issues, listen to their complaints and remove their security and other business related concerns. He said close interaction between law enforcement agencies and business community will lead to the creation of a well secured and healthy environment for business and investment activities. He said business community of Islamabad contributed their due share for the renovation of some Police Stations and will continue to support police in all its good initiative. He said ICCI will initiate efforts to recognize the contribution of martyred (Shaheed) Police Officers who laid their lives for the safety of business people

Speaking on the occasion, Syed Asghar Raza Gardezi, Inspector General of Islamabad Police thanked President ICCI and members of Islamabad Chamber of Commerce for providing them an opportunity of interaction with Islamabad business community. He said Islamabad Chamber of Commerce always cooperated with Islamabad Police in hour of need and said that further close interaction & liaison between business community and Islamabad Police will prove helpful to proactively tackle their concerns and to create a business friendly environment in the area. He said he has a dedicated line in “15” helpline and anyone could convey his/her problem to him through that facility and he will attend to that problem.

He said police along cannot ensure comprehensive security and called upon civil society to play its due role by more conscious and responsible citizens. In his closing remarks, IG Police Islamabad said that though Islamabad Police experiencing shortage of manpower, but assured that with the availability of required manpower and resources, marked improvement in security situation in the Capital will be witnessed. He also said that salary of Islamabad Police is lower as compared to Motor and Punjab police and demanded from government to enhance Islamabad Police salary to bring it at par with other police forces.

In the end, questions/answers session was held in which IG Police Islamabad gave detailed answers to all questions to remove all concerns of the participating business people.