Opportunity cost: K-P Board of Investment and Trade members resign

Claim govt is ‘non-serious’ in addressing woes faced by the business community.

PESHAWAR:

The vice chairman of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Board of Investment and Trade (BOIT), Senator Ilyas Bilour, and all nine members from the private sector on Wednesday tendered their resignations over differences with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government.

“We have decided to resign from our designations as a protest against the non-serious attitude of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak,” said Bilour, while addressing a press conference at K-P Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KPCCI).

KPCCI President Dr Yousaf Sarwar, members of the BOIT board of governors and prominent businessmen were also present at the briefing.

Bilour alleged the K-P government had no commitment or political will to resolve the problems faced by the public. “These issues, including those faced by the business community, will only worsen with the passage of time,” he added.

“The chief minister is not giving due attention to problems faced by the business community,” said Bilour, adding he (Khattak) did not respond to frequent attempts made to discuss BOIT issues. “If the provincial government wants to replace me or my team, we will tender our resignations in advance.”

Bilour announced the KPCCI would not cooperate with the provincial government and would contact the federal government to resolve problems faced by businessmen.

The senator explained he had formed BOIT with the cooperation of the previous government in order to attract foreign investment to K-P. “The previous government agreed to the proposal and reserved a fund of Rs100 million for BOIT,” Bilour added.

However, Bilour said the release of these funds took time due to bureaucratic hurdles. In July 2013, Rs50 million was received, he explained.

Senator Ilyas Bilour, who is also the former president of Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said his objective was to serve the interests of the business community. He claimed he was the county’s senior-most businessman and the only senator on a technocrat seat for the fourth consecutive time.

Senator belongs to the Awami National Party, who formed the previous provincial government.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 18^th, 2013.