President Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Mian Abuzar Shad praised the Faceless Customs Assessment System of Federal Board of Revenue's (FBR) , stating that it would eliminate under-invoicing and replace outdated systems with a modern automated mechanism.

During an interview with Radio Pakistan Lahore’s correspondent Qasim Bukhari, the President LCCI expressed gratitude to the government for its one-window operation, which is providing significant ease to business community.

He credited Interior Minister Syed Mohsin Naqvi and the Chief of Army Staff for curbing smuggling and stabilizing the dollar’s price. He said that the markup rate has decreased, the stock exchange has stabilized and a bullish trend has emerged. He revealed that, based on LCCI’s suggestions, the government has reduced the markup rate to 13 percent, with expectations of it dropping to 9 percent by April of the current year.

He highlighted that, upon LCCI's suggestion, actions were taken against Independent Power Producers (IPPs). Responding to a question about IPPs, he expressed regret that 2111 billion rupees is being paid to IPPs as capacity charges, while the defence budget is 2000 billion rupees. He acknowledged the significant role of Pakistan’s armed forces in the country’s stability.

Answering the question regarding environmental pollution and smog, he pointed out that 83 percent of smog is caused by transport pollution, 9 percent by industries and 8 percent by agricultural pollution, particularly from crop burning. He called for strict action against those using coal, wood without proper filtration systems, as informed that burning of tires also contributes to smog.

He emphasized that the business community contributes 13 trillion rupees to the national budget and advocated for including business representatives and the private sector in government boards. He also stressed that businessmen should be appointed as commercial consulates.

Mian Abuzar Shad informed that LCCI has 47,000 members who trust the chamber. He said the presence of dedicated desks at LCCI for passports, national identity cards, Mayam ki Dastak,  WASA, FBR and LESCO are providing members with various services.

He advised against appointing dual nationality holders to key positions and urged prioritizing national interests.

President LCCI stressed the need for sustainable measures to increase the tax-to-GDP ratio.

As an agricultural country, he called for an indiscriminate crackdown on those selling counterfeit seeds and pesticides. He also urged the government to resolve internet issues to improve output efficiency and effectiveness.

Main Abuzar Shad said that tax reforms are essential for attracting investment. He expressed pride in being recognized by the business community of Lahore and Punjab as their representative and informed that he is the most elected president in LCCI’s history, receiving the highest number of votes.