PESHAWAR: Members of the business community urged the federal government to release funds to complete remaining work on the much-delayed Peshawar Expo Centre Project. Businessmen made this demand during a meeting with Secretary Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Shehryar Taj during his visit to the Sarhad Chamber and Commerce and Industry. Traders raised serious concerns over lack of funds to complete remaining work on the Peshawar Expo Centre, stating the project is near to completion but work has again halted owing to abolishment of the Export Development Fund. Junaid Altaf, president of the chamber who chaired the meeting urged the TDAP to take up the issue with the government and relevant higher authorities to release required funds for the Peshawar Export Centre. President Junaid Altaf demanded KP participation in international exhibitions and special concessions for traders in enclosure to showcase the province’s potential in the rest of the world and build up connections and get access to the global market. The SCCI chief said honey, furniture, medicines, gems and jewelry, marble, handicraft and precious and semi-precious stones, Halal meat and arms, are the major potential and strength, stressed the need of fully capitalized them and diversification, modernizing and certification, as well value-addition and cutting polishing to recognize and bring them up to mark of the global standards. President Junaid Altaf highlighted major concerns of the traders’ community, mostly relating to dual checking of export consignments, non-functional of Azakhel dryport, ignoring KP in international exhibitions, lack of export-oriented products processing unit, unavailability of the start-of the art warehouses, value-addition facility, products certification lab, calling for TDAP technical and financial support to address the afore-stated issues. The chamber president briefed the session that SCCI in collaboration with government and relevant institutions is working on economic growth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He informed that SCCI is going to organise a Tourism Conference in January next year. President Junaid Altaf stressed SCCI-TDAP joint initiatives to boost exports from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He called for reconstitution of the Export Promotion Board of Pakistan, removal of irritants, checking of export-consignments on single station, making functioning of Azakhel Dryport, exchange of technology, knowledge and facilitation services on priority basis. Later, Secretary TDAP Shehryar Taj who was accompanied by Director Noman Bashir, Deputy Directors Zahid Khattak, Amir Khan and other senior officials were accompanied secretary of the TDAP Shehryar Taj while responding various proposals and concerns of the business community assured businessmen issues related to TDAP would be addressed in light of the SCCI proposals, while matters pertaining to policy would be taken up with high-ups and relevant authorities. Senior official said TDAP under the vision of the incumbent government is adopting a province-wise approach, aiming at the provinces to play a lead role in promotion of trade and export. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025