Islamabad, January 31, 2026: The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI) has welcomed Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s announcement of major relief measures for the industrial and export sectors, including a reduction in electricity tariffs by Rs 4.04 per unit, a cut in wheeling charges to below Rs 9, and the introduction of targeted incentives aimed at boosting exports.
In a joint statement, ICCI President Sardar Tahir Mehmood, along with Senior Vice President Tahir Ayub and Vice President Irfan Chaudhry, described the measures as timely, pragmatic, and growth-oriented. They noted that persistently high energy costs had long constrained industrial productivity, eroded competitiveness, and discouraged capacity expansion across key sectors.
The ICCI leadership stated that the reduction in power tariffs, combined with the lowering of the export refinance rate, would significantly ease cost pressures on industries, improve cash flows, enhance export capacity, and stimulate both domestic and foreign investment.
They also appreciated the government’s strong focus on export-led growth, facilitation of leading exporters, and initiatives aimed at strengthening foreign exchange earnings. According to the ICCI office-bearers, such confidence-building steps would help stabilize industrial operations, create employment opportunities, and strengthen Pakistan’s position in regional and global markets.
However, the ICCI leadership stressed that further structural reforms are needed to establish a comprehensive and broad-based enabling business environment. They urged the Prime Minister to work toward bringing the Karachi Interbank Offered Rate (KIBOR) into single digits, rationalizing the tax regime, and further reducing the cost of doing business to sustain industrial momentum.
These reforms, they said, are essential to unlocking the economy’s full potential and placing Pakistan firmly on the path toward achieving the vision of a trillion-dollar economy.
The ICCI office-bearers expressed confidence that continued consultation and close engagement between the government and the business community would lead to balanced and forward-looking policies, ensuring long-term economic stability, industrial revival, and sustainable growth.
