The Managing Director of Italy’s AMS group Alberto Visinoni visited Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry and held the meeting with Muhammad Naveed Malik, Acting President ICCI for exploring cooperation between Pakistan and Italy in marble and granite sector. Nisar Mirza Vice President ICCI and Muhammad Shakeel Munir, Chairman, ICCI Diplomatic Committee were also present at the occasion.
Alberto Visinoni said that AMS Group was currently the world leader in the sale of overhauled used machinery for marble and granite processing and the purpose of his visit was to explore opportunities of importing its machinery to Pakistan. He said the Group’s machinery included lifting machines, frames, block cutter, calibrating, plate polishers, polishing lines, tile polishers, recycling and filtration plants, manual polishers, flax mills, bridge saws, bevellers, polishers, quarry machines, various other machines. He said Pakistan could better promote its marble industry by utilizing the machinery of AMS Group.
Speaking at the occasion, Muhammad Naveed Malik, Acting President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that Pakistan has huge reserves of marble and granite, but due to lack of mechanized mining, the country was not taking full benefits from these reserves. He stressed that AMS Group of Italy should transfer its machinery to Pakistan by setting up its business in our country that would help in promoting value-added products of marble and granite.
He said that CPEC has created plenty of new business and investment opportunities in Pakistan while the government was providing attractive incentives to foreign investors. He emphasized that Italian investors should explore JVs and investment in marble and other sectors in Pakistan. He also lauded the services of H.E. Stefano Pontecorvo, Ambassador of Italy in Pakistan as he was making good efforts for promoting bilateral trade and economic relations between Pakistan and Italy. Muhammad Naveed Malik said that Pakistan and Italy have good potential to enhance cooperation in livestock, energy, infrastructure, oil & gas, chemical, transportation management and other sectors. He urged that both countries should focus on developing the strong connection between their private sectors that would be instrumental in promoting bilateral cooperation up to the real potential of both countries
CDA and MCI asked to focus on improving infrastructure in markets
Muhammad Naveed Malik, Senior Vice President, Islamabad Chamber of Commerce & Industry said that Capital Development Authority (CDA) Board has approved a budget of Rs.40.5 billion for 2018-19 and urged that it should focus on the better development of markets by utilizing the development budget. He stressed that CDA and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) should take urgent measures to improve basic infrastructure in markets in order to facilitate the growth of business activities. He was addressing local traders after inaugurating a Fitness Centre in Jinnah Super Market, Islamabad. Abdul Rauf Alam, Zafar Bakhtawari, Muhammad Ejaz Abbasi, former Presidents ICCI, Khalid Chaudhry, Raja Safeer, Malik Najeeb and others were also present at the occasion.
Muhammad Naveed Malik said that CDA has not done any development work in markets for the last many years due to which their condition has deteriorated a lot. He said the markets in the federal capital urgently needed repair of roads & footpaths, provision of filtration plants, public toilets, streetlights and other facilities. He said after the establishment of local government in Islamabad, MCI was responsible for repair and maintenance works in markets, but the issue of distribution of work between CDA and MCI was still not fully resolved due to which the development works in markets were suffering.
He said CDA has earmarked about Rs.21.7 billion for development projects which were 54 percent of its total budget. He emphasized that CDA should enhance development budget up to at least 60 percent of its total budget to accelerate the pace of development works in markets and the city. He said that CDA had started some sectors many years ago which were not completed as yet. He demanded that CDA should focus on the urgent development of all pending sectors for the benefit of purchasers and the investors.
Published in Melange Intl. Magazine in July 2018.
