DNA
ISLAMABAD – 27 May 2025: In a major step towards addressing the longstanding challenges faced by the business community, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has assured that the President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Nasir Mansoor Qureshi, will be invited to the upcoming CDA Board meeting, scheduled to take place within the next seven days.
This commitment emerged during a high-level meeting held at CDA headquarters, where President ICCI, leading a senior delegation, met with CDA Member Administration, Talat Mehmood Gondal. The President raised critical concerns with clarity and resolve, calling for immediate action on pressing issues including arbitrary tax escalations, cumbersome business licensing procedures, worsening market infrastructure, unjustified parking charges, and the overall decline in the state of industrial, fruit, and vegetable markets.
Also present were CDA Member Finance Naeem Tahir and DG Building Control Faisal Naeem, who affirmed CDA’s intent to work in close coordination with ICCI for pragmatic and lasting solutions.
President ICCI, Nasir Mansoor Qureshi, strongly emphasised that the current state of affairs is impeding business activity, discouraging investment, and weakening the confidence of local entrepreneurs and industrialists. He reiterated that meaningful reform can only be achieved through inclusive decision-making, greater transparency, and consistent engagement between CDA and the business community.
The meeting followed another important engagement earlier this week between the ICCI President and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Industries and Production, Haroon Akhtar Khan. Acting on the Prime Minister’s directive, the SAPM assured his full support to ICCI and announced the formation of a joint working committee comprising CDA and ICCI representatives. This committee will focus on resolving issues of trade, industry, and market management on a priority basis.
Prominent figures who joined the ICCI delegation included Chairman Founder Group ICCI Tariq Sadiq, Senior Vice President Abdul Rehman Siddiqui, Vice President Nasir Mehmood Chaudhry, President Industrial Area Association Shaikh Razzaq, former ICCI Presidents Khalid Iqbal Malik and Shahban Khalid, former SVP Industrial Area Association Mohammad Ali, and ICCI Executive Committee Member Imran Minhas. They all expressed strong concern over the deteriorating business environment and endorsed the ICCI President’s call for urgent corrective measures.
Talat Mehmood Gondal, Member Administration CDA, reaffirmed the authority’s willingness to strengthen cooperation with ICCI, stating that the upcoming Board meeting will provide a crucial platform for collaborative policy input, with the ICCI President playing a central role in shaping reform-oriented decisions.
This renewed partnership between CDA and ICCI signals a positive shift towards institutional accountability, pro-business reforms, and robust public-private cooperation. The business community has expressed strong hope that the assertive leadership of ICCI will continue to champion their interests and steer Islamabad towards a more enabling and growth-oriented economic environment.
