By Commerce Reporter
LAHORE: Under the leadership of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) President Ali Hussam Asghar, the newly elected leadership has begun its tenure with a focus on addressing sector-specific concerns and strengthening engagement with the business community, Corporate Class Executive Committee Member Muhammad Ali said.
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Speaking about the initial activities of the Vision Alliance administration, Muhammad Ali said the formation of a complaint cell and early engagement with Executive Committee members reflected a focus on providing businesses with a direct channel to raise their concerns.
He said the complaint cell would provide LCCI members with an opportunity to bring genuine business-related issues to the chamber’s attention and seek their follow-up through the relevant forums.
“Businesspeople need an effective platform where their concerns can be presented and pursued in an organised manner,” Muhammad Ali said. “The complaint cell can provide a direct link between LCCI members and the chamber’s leadership.”
He said the new administration had also started engaging Executive Committee members in discussions about problems affecting different sectors of the business community.
According to Muhammad Ali, Executive Committee members represent businesses from different fields and can help identify issues that require attention at the chamber, government or regulatory level.
He said sector-specific consultation could enable the LCCI to develop a clearer understanding of the challenges faced by traders, manufacturers, exporters and other businesses.
Muhammad Ali said LCCI’s role was not limited to raising general concerns but also involved following up on issues with relevant government departments and institutions.
He said matters relating to taxation, regulatory procedures, energy costs, trade facilitation, exports and other business-related challenges required continued engagement between the private sector and public institutions.
He added that regular interaction with members would help the chamber identify issues at an early stage and determine which matters required intervention at the appropriate level.
Muhammad Ali also referred to the first-day meeting of the Executive Committee, saying that discussions with members from different sectors could provide the leadership with an initial understanding of the priorities of the business community.
He said the chamber could strengthen its effectiveness by maintaining regular contact with its members and ensuring that issues raised through the forum were properly documented and followed up.
“The business community expects its chamber to remain accessible and responsive,” he said. “Continuous consultation with members can help ensure that their concerns reach the relevant authorities in a structured manner.”
Muhammad Ali said Lahore remained an important centre for trade, manufacturing and commercial activity, making it necessary for the chamber to maintain close coordination with businesses operating across different sectors.
He said cooperation between the LCCI, government departments and regulatory authorities was important for resolving business-related issues and facilitating economic activity.
He further said the new leadership would need to maintain regular engagement with the business community throughout its tenure so that the issues identified during the initial meetings could be pursued and reviewed.
Muhammad Ali said the early initiatives provided a starting point for the new administration, but their effectiveness would depend on continued follow-up and progress on the issues raised by LCCI members.
He expressed hope that the chamber would continue strengthening its consultation mechanism and provide businesses with opportunities to communicate their concerns directly to its leadership.
The LCCI Corporate Class Executive Committee member said a sustained, sector-based approach could help the chamber better represent the diverse interests of Lahore’s business community and improve coordination with relevant institutions.